The process of reconstituting the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption
Commission (ZACC) to lend weight to President Mnangagwa’s anti-corruption drive
has begun in earnest as Parliament has started inviting nominations of suitable
candidates to replace commissioners that resigned on January 31.
ZACC chairman Dr Job Whabira and his entire commission,
comprising Dr Nanette Silukhuni, Mr Goodson Nguni, Mrs Christine Fundira, Mr
Denford Chirindo, Ms Cathy Muchechetere, Ms Farai Mashonganyika and Mr Boyana
Ndou left, having been in office from February 2016.
President Mnangagwa described the old commission as “rotten
to the core” and its departure paved way for a clean slate in fighting
corruption, which is at the centre of rebuilding the economy in accordance to
the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP), a short-term economic blueprint
running until 2020.
Yesterday, Parliament invited members of the public to
nominate people whom they feel should be considered to sit in the commission
following the resignation of the entire compliment last month.
In a statement, Clerk of Parliament Mr Kennedy Chokuda said
Parliament’s Standing Rules and Orders Committee was calling for the nomination
of people to sit in the commission.
He said the call for nominations was consistent with
Section 237 and 254 of the Constitution to nominate candidates for appointment
by the President to serve as commissioners.
“Vacancies have arisen in the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption
Commission following the resignation of the chairman and all the commissioners
and Commissioners of the Commission on the 31st of January 2019 before the
expiry of their term of office. Accordingly the SROC is hereby calling on the
Public to nominate persons to be considered for appointment to this
Commission,” said Mr Chokuda.
The deadline for the submission of nominations is February
28. “Members of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission must be chosen for
their integrity and their knowledge of and experience in administration or the
prosecution or investigation of crime or for their general suitability for
appointment,” read the statement.
Some of the qualifications required are that one should at
least be qualified to practice as a legal practitioner in Zimbabwe and had been
so qualified for at least seven years.
One can also be qualified to practice as a public
accountant or public auditor in Zimbabwe and had been so qualified in the past
seven years or have at least 10 years’ experience in investigating crime.
“Nomination material must consist of a typewritten
submission of no more than two A4 pages stating why the person nominated is a
suitable candidate together with a completed nomination form which can be
obtained at Parliament offices or download from the website,” reads the
statement.
Some of the functions of ZACC include investigating and exposing
cases of corruption in the public and private sector, receive and consider
complaints from the public and direct the Commissioner-General of Police to
investigate cases of suspected corruption and to report to the commission on
the results of any such investigation.
It is also mandated to refer cases to the National
Prosecuting Authority for prosecution. ZACC must also make recommendations to Government and other
persons on measures to enhance integrity and accountability and prevent
improper conduct in the public and private sector. Herald
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