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Freeman Razemba Crime Reporter
A six-member delegation from the United Nations (UN), Angola and Cape Verde is in the country to review mechanisms and measures being implemented by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) in curbing corruption.

The delegation is being led by Messrs Felipe Freitas Falconi and Meder Begaliev from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Austria.

A three-day seminar on the Review of Zimbabwe’s Implementation of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) started on Monday in the capital.

UNCAC is a multilateral treaty negotiated by member states of the United Nations and promoted by UNODC.

It is the only legally binding international anti-corruption instrument.

UNCAC requires state parties to the treaty to implement several anti-corruption measures that focus on five main areas: prevention, law enforcement, international cooperation, asset recovery, and technical assistance and information exchange.

The delegation is reviewing the country’s implementation of the provisions of the UNCAC’s Chapters 2 and 5 which are preventive measures and asset recovery, respectively.

They will compile a report after the review.

Addressing at the seminar, permanent secretary for State Enterprises Reform, Corporate Governance and Procurement in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Mr Willard Manungo said the country had put in place measures to show its commitment to the eradication of corruption.

“Success at eradicating corruption can only be through a multi-stakeholder approach where various stakeholders join forces for a common good, which is a corrupt free country,” he said.

He said as the nation strives towards economic recovery, one of Zimbabwe’s priorities was to have an enabling environment for private investment, both domestic and foreign.

Mr Manungo said President Mnangagwa had proclaimed a policy of zero tolerance to corruption.

“As a nation, Zimbabweans all need to boldly stand with His Excellency, to shun corruption of all kinds and promote the ‘Zimbabwe is Open for Business’ mantra.

“For our economy to succeed therefore, Zimbabweans must weed out corruption and build a strong system of justice that the people can trust,” he said.

He said rampant corruption erodes public confidence and undermines the strength of democracy and diminishes the instinct for innovation and creativity.

“For Zimbabwe, His Excellency, the President, Cde ED Mnangagwa pronounced Vision 2030, which focuses on ensuring that Zimbabwe works, towards a prosperous and empowered upper middle income society by 2030.

“The Transitional Stabilisation Programme put in place by the Zimbabwe Government, thus, contains specific measures to uproot entrenched indiscipline and corruption, to cleanse society of this scourge and also strengthen and capacitate institutions and public service systems that enable early detection of corruption,” Mr Manungo said.