ZACC SEEKS TO RESTORE PUBLIC TRUST

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) has launched its second National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS II), a sweeping five-year plan aimed at overhauling the country's fight against graft through institutional reforms, digitalisation and intensified enforcement.

The blueprint, unveiled at a validation workshop in the capital, identifies mining, public procurement, education and data management as particularly high-risk sectors requiring urgent intervention. 

Built on five pillars — strengthening legal frameworks, improving institutional performance, intensifying enforcement, reducing public exposure to corruption and reforming vulnerable sectors — NACS II is designed to address entrenched weaknesses across the public sector.

Presenting the document, Zacc principal compliance officer Tinei Majada said the strategy was crafted following nationwide consultations involving 1 502 participants across the country's 10 provinces. He outlined four primary corruption-risk clusters: high-risk institutions, high-risk sectors, vulnerable public-sector activities and dominant corruption types like bribery, land corruption and money laundering.

“The overall goal is to restore public trust, promote transparency, safeguard national resources and support the country’s economic recovery under Vision 2030,” Majada said.

He said the strategy signalled a shift to a “full value-chain” enforcement approach, encompassing detection, investigation, litigation, sanctions and asset recovery. 

Proposed measures include undercover operations, unexplained wealth investigation and enhanced international cooperation to recover stolen assets. 

To combat systemic vulnerabilities, the plan advocates for digitalising government systems, strengthening asset-declaration and conflict-of-interest rules and conducting joint systems audits.

However, Majada said there were significant implementation hurdles citing five major risks: severe fiscal constraints, weak institutional buy-in, poor reporting systems, resistance to reforms and the potential derailment caused by shifting national priorities. 

“These factors may disrupt implementation if not adequately managed,” he cautioned.

Officially opening the workshop, Zacc chairperson Michael Reza, said the plan was built on the “successful implementation” of its predecessor, adding that it achieved over 61% success on its investigation and prevention indicators.

Reza said the new strategy must align with the National Development Strategy 2 and international frameworks, including the UN Convention Against Corruption.

“The fight against corruption demands a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach,” he said as he urged government, civil society and the private sector to adopt a united front. Newsday

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