Zimbabwe's parliament wants answers about the country's corruption problem, and they want them now. They're calling on Ziyambi Ziyambi, the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, to appear before the National Assembly and explain what's being done to fight corruption.
This all came up because of a recent report that said Zimbabwe is the most corrupt country in southern Africa. And it's not just that report - Transparency International, the global corruption watchdog, ranks Zimbabwe as one of the worst in the world when it comes to corruption.
It's a real slap in the face for President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who promised to wipe out corruption when he took over back in 2017. But it looks like he hasn't made much progress.
During a parliamentary session, Gladys Hlatywayo, a Citizens Coalition for Change MP, threw down the gauntlet. She said corruption is a disaster for the country, taking money away from social services that people need. She thinks parliament can't just sit back and do nothing.
Hlatywayo wants the Minister of Justice to come in and explain exactly how the government is tackling corruption. She's especially interested in what's happening with legislation to protect whistleblowers and witnesses who speak out against corruption.
Part of the problem is that key institutions like the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) aren't doing their jobs. ZACC has been accused of being soft on people with connections to the ruling ZANU PF party.
Another issue is that there aren't good laws protecting whistleblowers. This makes it really hard for people to come forward and report corruption without fear of retaliation.
Jacob Mudenda, the Speaker of Parliament, says the Whistleblowers' Bill needs to be introduced in the National Assembly as soon as possible. He didn't seem totally sold on everything Hlatywayo said, but he agrees that protecting whistleblowers is crucial.
Dealing with corruption is one of the key things Zimbabwe needs to do as part of its Structured Dialogue Platform with the African Development Bank (AfDB). The country can't afford to keep letting corruption run rampant if it wants to move forward.
This all came up because of a recent report that said Zimbabwe is the most corrupt country in southern Africa. And it's not just that report - Transparency International, the global corruption watchdog, ranks Zimbabwe as one of the worst in the world when it comes to corruption.
It's a real slap in the face for President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who promised to wipe out corruption when he took over back in 2017. But it looks like he hasn't made much progress.
During a parliamentary session, Gladys Hlatywayo, a Citizens Coalition for Change MP, threw down the gauntlet. She said corruption is a disaster for the country, taking money away from social services that people need. She thinks parliament can't just sit back and do nothing.
Hlatywayo wants the Minister of Justice to come in and explain exactly how the government is tackling corruption. She's especially interested in what's happening with legislation to protect whistleblowers and witnesses who speak out against corruption.
Part of the problem is that key institutions like the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) aren't doing their jobs. ZACC has been accused of being soft on people with connections to the ruling ZANU PF party.
Another issue is that there aren't good laws protecting whistleblowers. This makes it really hard for people to come forward and report corruption without fear of retaliation.
Jacob Mudenda, the Speaker of Parliament, says the Whistleblowers' Bill needs to be introduced in the National Assembly as soon as possible. He didn't seem totally sold on everything Hlatywayo said, but he agrees that protecting whistleblowers is crucial.
Dealing with corruption is one of the key things Zimbabwe needs to do as part of its Structured Dialogue Platform with the African Development Bank (AfDB). The country can't afford to keep letting corruption run rampant if it wants to move forward.
