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VP Mnangagwa

Conrad Mwanawashe in Bulawayo
Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa says the days of the prevalence of corruption are gone and called on citizens to fight the canker-worm as it threatens the economic and moral fibre of the country. Delivering a keynote address at the International Business Conference at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, VP Mnangagwa said the fight against corruption should not be left to Government alone but should be a concerted effort involving both the private and public sector.

“Let me assure you that masamba asiyana (the game has changed), corruption pasi nayo ( down with it). We are against corruption. We must fight corruption together both the private and public sector. And when we say the public sector we are talking about Government enterprises and entities and people involved in the public sector,” said VP Mnangagwa.

“You in the private sector, help us to fight corruption. Most of you when you say the public sector you think about the President and the ministers. Yes they belong to the public sector but it is very wide; it includes the functionaries in the public sector who may also play a role to suppress and expose corruption,” he said.

He was presenting on “Accelerated Implementation of Zim-Asset through Value Addition and Beneficiation”.

The conference was attended by about 400 business, Government and civil society leaders.

Government set up the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) in response to the rise in cases of corruption, economic crimes and other irregularities in the economy. ZACC says combating corruption goes beyond merely weeding out corrupt elements within society by law enforcement agencies. The fight against corruption requires the active participation of society as a whole.

VP Mnangagwa urged people to speak out and report corrupt activities in both the public and private sectors.

“And when we talk about the private sector we mean yourselves and those who work under you. I know that no chief executive officer will say that if there is corruption in this company go and report to the police.

“They all say if there is corruption in this company come and report to me. That is good enough if that chief executive officer is good because he will report to the police but if he is part of the system he will know that they have been discovered and try to create another way to continue. I know all of us here are aware of some corrupt practice somewhere and which you are keeping quiet about. So it is the duty, a burden on each individual, every citizen, private or public to fight corruption,” the VP said.

Meanwhile, VP Mnangagwa said export-led growth is one of the strategies that Government adopted through Zim-Asset’s Value Addition and Beneficiation cluster. Value addition and beneficiation ensures export growth, not only in volume but also in value.

Value addition and beneficiation is a concept where processing of a country’s resource is done within its borders to maximise the local economic contribution through the higher earnings associated with processed goods compared to raw materials.

“Government deliberately embarked on this drive in order to discourage export of raw materials and consequently encouraging and promoting local processing of our resources into higher value goods before export and at the same time creating employment,” he said.

“Let me hasten to say that value addition and beneficiation is not only limited to the mining, but indeed also cuts across all sectors of the economy, including service sectors.”

He said Government is committed to providing the necessary environment to support business. Several policies that include, among others, the Industrial Development Policy, National Trade Policy, National Tourism Policy, Science, Technology and Innovation Policy, Minerals Development Policy , National Procurement Policy, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Policy and Local Authority Licensing and Regulation Policy are aimed at facilitating business for the private sector.