Local authorities, ZACC sign agreement 

Farirai Machivenyika  Senior Reporter 

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has entered into an agreement with eight local authorities on an implementation matrix of issues raised by the Auditor General Mrs Mildred Chiri in her 2019 report.

This was said by ZACC Commissioner responsible for compliance and systems Mrs Thandiwe Mlobane during a hearing by the sub-committee on Local Authorities of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee chaired by Chegutu West legislator Cde Dexter Nduna.

The eight local authorities are the municipalities of Karoi, Norton and Chegutu and Mutoko, Umzingwane, Mudzi, Makonde and Zaka rural district councils.

Speaking in an interview after the meeting, Commissioner Mlobane said the agreement was reached after visits to the local authorities by ZACC’s compliance teams following reports received from whistleblowers.

“That is why the whole implementation matrix was then signed between the councils and ZACC to say that within three months we would have undertaken to comply with the issues that would have been raised,” she said.

She added that their plan was to ensure that all councils that were not in compliance as noted by the AG sign the implementation matrix.

Commissioner Mlobane said ZACC would review how far the councils would have gone in completing the implementation matrix before deciding on what further action to be taken.

She said where necessary criminal charges would be instituted against concerned local authorities.

In the past two weeks ZACC has met internal auditors from Government ministries and local authorities as part of efforts to improve the implementation of recommendations raised in the AG’s reports.

Mrs Chiri has raised concern on the non-implementation by public entities she raises in her reports.

Meanwhile, the sub-committee on Local Authorities has resolved to carry field visits to 23 councils that had issues raised by the AG.

You Might Also Like

Comments

Take our Survey

We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey