via Zim loses $2bn to corruption – DailyNews Live by Kudzai Chawafambira 23 OCTOBER 2013
Zimbabwe lost approximately $2 billion to corruption last year, tax collector Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) said.
This comes as the country was rated among the most corrupt nations in southern Africa in a recent Transparency International (TI) survey, ranking 163 out of 176 countries.
TI’s corruption perception index — ranking countries and territories based on how corrupt their public sector is perceived — indicated that Zimbabwe’s corruption record continued to worsen after falling nine places from 154 last year.
Gershom Pasi, Zimra’s commissioner-general, yesterday said according to Professor Deon Rossouw of TI, a total $6 billion was corruptly earned in Africa.
“Nigeria was corruptly involved at $3 billion, while Zimbabwe was at $2 billion and South Africa was at $0,7 billion,” he told a Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) symposium on business ethics, anti-bribery and corruption.
Pasi said corruption in Zimbabwe had reached unprecedented levels and government could not take the fight alone.
“Government needs partnership with the private sector and the society at large. There will be synergies that accrue when the public sector and the private sector join hands,” he said, adding that the “fight against corruption should be grounded in the doctrine and philosophy of ubuntu, a concept whose foundation was based on sound human relations in African societies”.
“It is a deep-rooted African philosophy that carries high values of caring, sharing, inclusivity, compassion, and communalism,” he said.
Eve Gadzikwa, CZI’s business ethics and standards committee chairperson, added that “the country can only successfully implement programmes for socio-economic transformation when it puts same efforts in implementing austerity measures to curb the scourge.”
This comes as government has indicated that it will employ yet another economic blueprint dubbed “Zimbabwe Agenda for Socio-Economic Transformation” (Zimaset) at a time when corruption has ravaged the meagre financial resources within the economy.
“We cannot have economic development and attract foreign direct investment (FDI) if there is no attention to detail when it comes to bribery and corruption.
“What it does is, whilst you are putting together a programme for socio-economic transformation at the same there are little resources that we have are being drained through corrupt and unethical conduct in government and business,” said Gadzikwa.
Finance deputy minister Samuel Undenge also said corruption had become complex and an interconnected problem and the most effective solutions to it must be collective.
“A multi-dimensional approach to dealing with corruption should be adopted, taking on board both public and private sector solutions,” said Undenge.
He added that government will soon implement measures necessary to stop corruption in all its forms and at all levels of government.
COMMENTS
The Zimbabwe mugabe&co government itself is corrupt so little wonder it cannot take on the fight against corruption alone, which of course would be self destruction.
“Nigeria was corruptly involved at $3 billion, while Zimbabwe was at $2 billion and South Africa was at $0,7 billion,” he told a Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) symposium on business ethics, anti-bribery and corruption.”
If you compare the sizes of th SA, Nigerian and Zim economies that puts it into context. The “so called” Zimbabwe government is a farce! Its just a “Get Rich Club”! WAKE UP WORLD!!!
Such a jaded perspective. Zim didn’t lose 20b to corruption, Gov’t bigshots netted 20b in profits.
Let’s put those numbers into perspective…
If you take into consideration the fact that Zimbabwe’s estimated GDP for 2012 was only $6.9B and $2B was lost to corruption, then how are things to improve for the common man if $0.29 of every dollar in Zimbabwe goes to line the pockets of a corrupt official.
Meanwhile the GDP of SA was $577.2B and only $0.7B was lost to corruption, so less then one tenth of one penny of every dollar in SA was spent on corruption.
Which country would you prefer to live in, based on those statistics? In SA, you get to keep more of your own money; but not in Zimbabwe, where Bob Mugabe takes 29% to keep himself in power!
Vakomana mari irikudyirwa mudyigo wago!! Even Pasi wacho and his band of thieves. If Pasi is serious he must deal with his officials first. He is the only one who doesn’t know of the 30 roomed houses Zimra thievsofficials are building in Gletwin. Iwee. Ngaabvunze isu timuudze but because he too is involved they should just shut up and let the country cry the beloved country. 2 bhidza? Ngaidyiwe mari varume. That’s what they nearly died for these living heroes of Zimbabwe. Chickens. Will come home soon!
In Zimbabwe corruption is a patriotic way of making business depending which political party you come from. To start saying we should join hands with thieves to stop this rot is nonsensical ladies and gentlemen. Why? If i blow the whisltle the corrupt police will arrest me for having impersonated them. So guys rovai ngoma yenyu makanyarara, pamunoba takambokubvunzai here? We dont want to be used like brainless idiots.
the information Pasi is stating is highly conservative, how much was lost through the diamonds, gold and platinum. How much was lost through the tenders to construction of Mugabe Intelligence college. That college despite poor quality has taken over 98 million. diamonds over 3 billion unaccounted. To get the accurate figure, check the net growth of Mpofu, Mugabe, Charamba, Chihuri, Chombo, Mnangagwa, Chiwenga, Muzonzini, Mujuru, Mliswa, Gono,Pasi and Mutasa and other top guns in Zanu PF compare that with their salaries from 2008-2013.
Revolution varume – lets revolt!!!!
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