By Senator Obert Gutu
It is an irony that some of Zimbabwe’s wealthiest people are found amongst senior civil servants and politicians who earn very meagre official salaries and allowances.
These public officials flaunt their ill-gotten wealth with such reckless abandon that one begins to wonder who Zimbabwe’s most lethal enemy really is ; so-called ”illegal” sanctions imposed by Britain and her allies or the naked greed and rampant corruption of those who call themselves our leaders?
There is,therefore, an urgent need to introspect and interrogate ourselves in an honest and legitimate endeavour to exorcise the ghost of corruption in both the public and private sectors.We will soon ascertain that Zimbabwe’s present economic malaise and socio-political quagmire is largely a direct result of unbriddled corruption that has been allowed to be a culture of our lives; particularly since we attained independence in 1980.
The cancer of corruption has firmly taken root in the Zimbabwean society so much so that it has literally destroyed the fabric of our very being as a nation state.In some instances,we have celebrated the gains of corruption and deliberately created ” celebrities” out of people whose wealth is clearly ill-gotten and in some cases, a direct result of criminal activities.Thus,in a way, we have condoned downright thievery and sugar-coated it as a good example of indigenous entrepreneurship and localised financial engineering.Social tolerance of corruption has wrecked havoc with the Zimbabwean economy.
Corruption is broadly defined as the misuse and/or abuse of entrusted power for private gain.In Zimbabwe,like in many other parts of the developing world,corruption has become institutionalised.It cuts across all facets of our lives; from the executive,the judiciary and the legislature.In most government offices in Zimbabwe today, paying a bribe is considered an essential prerequisite for getting a service done; indeed, the only avenue for accomplishing results.In Kenya,there is a popular saying that goes : ” Why hire a lawyer,if you can buy a judge?”
Addressing a workshop in Bulawayo a few weeks ago,the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Honourable Lovemore Moyo, promised that he will fight to ensure that all members of parliament declare their assets in the assets register to be kept at Parliament; which register is supposed to be a public document.When I read about this solemn declaration by Honourable Moyo, I was so happy and excited that I felt like grabbing the telephone and phoning him to thank him for coming up with such a brave and principled position! As parliamentarians elected by the people, we certainly should be exemplary and we should set an example for all other citizens by starting to declare all our assets in the assets register.
These should apply to all members of parliament; from Cabinet Ministers and the presiding officers of Parliament down to the backbenchers.The assets declaration has to be honest and completely comprehensive and complete.In instances where a member of parliament makes a false and/or incomplete declaration of assets, appropriate penalties that include dismissal from Parliament should be imposed.Countries like Australia have similar provisions and this has largely helped in stamping out corruption amongst elected officials.I am acutely aware of the fact that Honourable Moyo’s plan will be fiercely opposed by those of our collegues who have skeletons in their cupboards.But then,this is not a popularity contest.
If we are all patriotic as Parliamentarians and if we are seriously concerned by the need to mitigate or better still,eradicate corruption in our motherland,we should all come out in support of Honourable Moyo’s grand plan.Infact, the new constitution should specifically provide that all members of parliament are obliged to declare their assets immediately upon being sworn into office.Indeed,this provision has to be constitutionalised.
With the advent of multi-currencing in Zimbabwe,it is a notorious fact that civil servants are very poorly paid.I am not ashamed to announce to the world that members of parliament earn USD200 per month.But then as members of parliament,we should not expect to earn a living through the salaries that we get.Ours is a public service where monetary reward should not be the primary motivation.We are there to serve and not to be served.Anyone who aspires to be a member of parliament so that they can earn a fat salary and become rich overnight, be my guest!
As parliamentarians,we are supposed to play an oversight role over the activities of the executive arm of the State.We are the eyes and ears as well as the mouths of those people who elected us into office.It is incumbent upon us to behave honourably and honestly all the time both in our public and private lives.As parliamentarians we are public figures to whom society looks up.We are role models.Assuming that we are as honest and forthright as we promise the electorate when we are on the campaign trail,we should not have any problems at all in declaring our assets.That is as it should be ; the more so when we refer to ourselves as agents of democratisation.
Lest I am misunderstood by the readers; I am not by any stretch of the imagination, suggesting that members of parliament should be poor people who live rough.No.What I am submitting is that members of parliament should be free to acquire wealth,as long as they do so honestly and legitimately.Personally,I believe in the accumulation of wealth and I have absolutely no apology to make about this.I sincerely and whole-heartedly believe that the honest accumulation of personal wealth is one of the cornerstones of a normal and ambition-driven human existence.
Thus,anyone who desires to live the life of a pauper cannot be my role model.Whilst I hate and denounce naked capitalism with a passion,I also believe,passionately,that every normal human being should strive to lead a life of comfort and relative affluence.There is no contradiction there. Denouncing naked capitalism doesnot make me a proponent of poverty and destitution.
The declaration of personal assets should not be limited to members of parliament alone.My argument is that all civil servants,without exception,should be made to declare their personal assets immediately upon commencing work in the public service.The necessary constitutional provision should be contained in the new constitution under the Public Service Commission.The same should apply to all members of the judiciary as well as the Police and armed forces.
If we are serious about fighting corruption,we have no other choice but to follow this route.Our judiciary faces a very pecular problem.Judges and magistrates are expected to perform their duties impartially and independently.However,the politicisation of the selection process for magistrates and judges has led to a judiciary that is severely compromised; a judiciary that is predisposed to the executive and thus,vulnerable to corruption and manipulation.
Recent press reports in Zimbabwe have caused a stir.We have read about the exploits of a certain cabinet minister who has managed to accumulate fabulous wealth over the years of his service in government.For here is a man who owns an immovable property in literally every city and town of Zimbabwe.This man is incredibly wealthy and we are all interested in knowing,exactly,how this honourable member of Parliament and Cabinet minister has managed to become so filthy rich whilst the majority of Zimbabweans wallow in poverty.Is it becauses he is such a gifted enterpreneur or is it simply because he is so horribly corrupt and greedy?
The jury is still out on this one.It also appears our moribund Anti-Corruption Commission has a clear opportunity to prove that it is actually still in existence.Going forward, as a nation we should never tolerate corruption.Our corruption-fighting tools should now be sharpened and made more lethal.Whether you are MDC or ZANU( PF) if you are found to be corrupt,you should be send to jail and all the ill-gotten wealth should be confiscated by the State.
The inclusive government has to come out very clearly against corruption.It should make it abundantly clear that corruption will not be tolerated in the new political dispensation in Zimbabwe.The time to eradicate corruption and all the evils associated with it is nigh.
