A critical evaluation of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission

Abstract

Corruption generally is regarded as one of the most serious obstacles to development. It is endemic in many African countries and is being blamed increasingly for weak economic growth, high socio-economic inequalities and poverty. Zimbabwe, over the years, has experienced a surge in the level of corruption, increased state violence and a rapidly declining economy. The country has taken measures to try and curb corruption. At the centre of Zimbabwe’s anti-corruption efforts is the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC). Its primary function is to combat corruption in the private and public sectors. It makes recommendations to the government and the private sector about increasing accountability, promoting integrity and preventing improprieties. It was established in 2005 in terms of Chapter 13, Part 1 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Anti- Corruption Commission Act of 2004. In addition to constitutional provisions that promote the fight against corruption, Zimbabwe is a signatory to many regional and international anti-corruption instruments. These include the Southern African Development Community Protocol against Corruption (SADC Protocol), which was signed in 2001 and ratified in 2003; the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (AU Convention), signed in 2003 and ratified in 2006; and the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) of 2005, ratified in 2007.