
It has been gathered that Parliament completed vetting the
initial 133 applicants and has come up with a list of ‘about 35’ candidates who
are set to undergo public interviews.
The interviews are expected in the coming weeks, after
which a final list of 10 commissioners will be selected to replace the former
Zacc members who resigned in January.
The impending interviews are a show of President Emmerson
Mnangagwa’s pledge to step up in the fight against corruption.
In an interview, Clerk of Parliament Mr Kennedy Chokuda
said vetting of the prospective candidates had been completed after a thorough
process.
“I am glad to announce that after a very thorough process, the
Committee on Standing Orders and Rules (CSOR) of Parliament has completed the
vetting of prospective candidates,” he said.
“We completed the short list yesterday (Thursday). “We are actually working on publishing the finalised list
to the public through adverts in the media.
“The process was very thorough. It was characterised by
absolute professionalism.”
However, Mr Chokuda could not divulge the names of the
candidates who made it for interviews, saying due process was being followed to
ensure that the successful candidates are informed first.
Asked how many candidates had sailed through from the
initial 133, Mr Chokuda said, “We are talking of about 35 or so.”
He said Parliament will soon publish the dates for the
interviews, adding that “they will definitely be conducted in June.”
The preliminary list of 133 comprised several high profile
figures drawn from different sections of society. Former legislators Mr Gabriel
Chaibva, Mr Tongai Matutu, Ms Jessie Majome and Mr Blessing Chebundo, former editors
Mr Tommy Sithole and Mr Geoffrey Nyarota as well as ex-magistrates Mr Never
Katiyo, Mr Wilbert Mandinde, Ms Caroline Chigumira and Mr Vakayi Chikwekwe were
on the list.
Lawyers that threw their names in the hat include Mr
Tinomuda Chinyoka, Advocate Michael Majuru, Mr Brian Kashangura, Mr Mehluli
Tshuma, Adv Greyson Nyoni and Mr Tichie Garagbwa.
From the academia, Professor James Kurasha, Prof Simon
Mukwembi and Mr Joseph Kurebwa were the notables.
Other prominent figures were Foreign Affairs and
International Trade permanent secretary Ambassador James Manzou, former Clerk
of Parliament Mr Austin Zvoma, banker Mr James Mushore, former police officers
Edmore Veterai and Ms Angeline Guvamombe, former GMB general manager Mr Albert
Mandizha, Southern African Parliamentary Support Trust executive director John
Makamure and musician Ms Shuvai Wutawunashe. Vetting of the prospective
candidates has taken about two months.
When the window for objections was opened, red flags were
raised on some of the applicants.
Zimbabwe’s Constitution stipulates that Zacc members “must
be chosen for their integrity and their knowledge of and experience in
administration”.
In a special Independence Day interview with the Zimbabwe
Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) recently, President Mnangagwa pledged to
untiringly fight corruption.
“I now realise that corruption is deep-rooted. I thought
that by pronouncing that let’s fight corruption, those who are corrupt would
fear and stop; it’s not like that. It’s so rooted that you have to fight it
from A to Z. In most systems, structures and institutions, there is an element
of corruption,” said the Head of State.
Fighting corruption is considered to be integral in the
country’s quest to attain an upper middle-income economy by 2030. Sunday News
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