Public wants top officials prosecuted for corruption at ZISCO

By Tererai Karimakwenda
09 November 2006

Members of the public took part in a debate on Tuesday focusing on the controversial ZISCO corruption case. The event was hosted by Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights and the corruption watchdog Transparency International- Zimbabwe Chapter.

It has been alleged that top government officials engaged in wholesale looting at the government run steel giant. The National Economic Conduct Inspectorate (NECI) produced a detailed report on activities at ZISCO which concluded there was gross mismanagement and corruption by top officials. But the report has been kept from public scrutiny and from a parliamentary committee that is also investigating ZISCO.

Many participants at the debate Tuesday said they believe the report is being suppressed because it contains the names of top chefs from the ruling party who looted millions of dollars with impunity. Jacob Mafume from the Crisis Coalition said the public consensus was that the looting at ZISCO is no surprise. Contributors felt strongly that what is needed is a wholesale solution to the Zimbabwe ’s problems. They want the culprits in the ZISCO case to be prosecuted no matter what office they hold.

On Thursday, two days after the public debate, management at ZISCO dismissed the NECI report in a story published in none other than the government controlled Herald newspaper. They said the report was full of speculation "clearly from self-serving sources” and that the NECI had transformed media speculation into a report.

Political commentator and UZ lecturer Dr John Makumbe, who has worked for years with the corruption watchdog Transparency International, said they have been aware for some time that ZANU-PF people were and still are looting at ZISCO. He said the ZISCO management’s claim in the Herald that NECI did not understand the inner workings of the company was hog wash.

Makumbe said wholesale looting is taking place all over the country because there is no-one in charge. He added that everyone dips in when the person running things is an old 82 year old man who is asleep. Makumbe explained that systems of checks and balances that are in place are not followed up and those who guard these systems are in bed with the looters.