Harare, (New Ziana) – Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) chairman, Michael Reza on Thursday said the Whistleblower and Witness Protection Bill had been finalised, and was now awaiting scrutiny by the Cabinet Committee on Legislation.
The initiative, which has full support of Parliament, seeks to protect individuals who provide information on illicit activities within organisations and by other individuals, thereby encouraging more people to come forward without fear of reprisal.
Reza was speaking at the ZACC Annual General meeting (AGM), which was held in Harare and attended by commissioners, staff, and various stakeholders.
“Regarding this Bill, the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs has been giving us maximum support. It is now pending scrutiny by the Cabinet, and after that, it will be taken to President Mnangagwa, who will then sign it into law.
“This year, we will continue advocating for stronger legal frameworks, including the amendment of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act and the enactment of whistle-blower protection laws. Our work is guided by the 2021–2025 Strategic Plan, which aligns with the National Development Strategy-1 (NDS-1) and our national vision of achieving an upper-middle-income society by 2030,” Reza said.
He said the Commission had fully audited the previously unaudited accounts for 2021, 2022, and 2023. The reports were tabled at the AGM. In 2024, ZACC successfully migrated to the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) reporting framework, enhancing transparency and public sector financial reporting.
On investigations, Reza said the Commission focused on high-impact cases, with fifty (14.5 percent) of the cases referred to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) classified as high-profile.
“These cases involved individuals in leadership positions or had a value exceeding US$100 000. Asset recovery efforts were intensified, aligning with NDS-1’s emphasis on governance and the rule of law,” he said.
At the same meeting, ZACC executive secretary Shepherd Manhivi presented an overview of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission’s activities for the past year. He said the Commission received 925 reports of suspected corruption in 2024, effected 295 arrests, and referred 343 dockets to the NPAZ.
“In 2024, the Commission referred 43 case files to the NPA for Unexplained Wealth Orders and Civil Forfeiture applications worth US$10.6 million. We also successfully forfeited properties worth over US$20 million. This brings the total value of assets recovered to US$30.6 million,” Manhivi added.
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