THE Zimbabwe Independent Complaints Commission (ZICC) has condemned corruption in the public and private sectors, describing the vice as a human rights violation.
ZICC chairperson Webster Chinamora said this at an Integrity Pledge Signing Ceremony in Harare on Tuesday.
Chinamora said the pledge represented both a moral and legal commitment under section 210 of the Constitution, which mandates the commission to investigate complaints against security services.
He called on public officials to uphold integrity and transparency in the execution of their duties.
“Corruption, in all its insidious forms, is not only a governance deficit. It is a human rights violation. It denies citizens fair access to justice, dilutes institutional legitimacy and erodes public trust,” Chinamora said.
“At ZICC, we do not merely demand accountability from others, we demand it from ourselves first.
“This pledge is a declaration of internal vigilance. It is about institutional self-respect and setting a standard that even those we investigate can look up to.”
While there were high hopes for reform when President Emmerson Mnangagwa assumed office in 2017 following the late Robert Mugabe’s removal through a military coup, the country still grapples with enduring issues such a high incidence of corruption.
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Multiple types of corruption permeate the Zimbabwean society, affecting the public and private sectors, including vital institutions like the Judiciary, law enforcement agencies, media, electoral bodies and the mining industry.
According to Transparency International, the international dimension of corruption is significant in Zimbabwe as illicit financial flows (IFFs) have drained billions of dollars from the country, particularly in sectors related to natural resources like mining, timber and wildlife.
Most of the IFF proceeds are linked to corruption.
“Let us be clear: there can be no Vision 2030 without ethical visionaries to carry it forward. ZICC must be the lodestar of that ethical leadership,” Chinamora said.
“This pledge binds us not only legally, but morally. It is a covenant with our highest ideals.
“It declares that ZICC will be not just an oversight body, but a fortress of ethical resistance against impunity and institutional decay.”
Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) commissioner Chido Madiwa emphasised the shared responsibility between ZICC and Zacc in receiving and investigating complaints, calling for collaboration while respecting institutional boundaries.
“The integrity pledge signed today demonstrates ZICC’s alignment with our mission and values — transparency, accountability and ethical governance.
“Zacc affirms that corruption will find no safe haven within the commission, that ethical standards will be upheld at the highest level and public interest will always take precedence over personal considerations,” she said.
Madiwa added: “Our partnership should extend beyond case coordination and information sharing to include mutual support in maintaining the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.”
