HIGHER Education deputy minister Godfrey Gandawa has called on government to move away from its rhetoric on corruption and introduce punitive measures, including jail terms for public officials found engaging in corrupt activities, to effectively curb the scourge and create a conducive environment for foreign investment and economic growth.
by Everson Mushava
Addressing delegates attending a ZimRights-organised choral music competition in Bulawayo on Saturday, Gandawa said endemic corruption was threatening investment in the country and the government should move away from threats, but act against those found on the wrong side of the law.
“Corruption is hurting investment in a big way and there is serious need for the government to intensify its effort in dealing with the vice. Those accused should be prosecuted in order to send signals to potential pepetrators,” he said.
“Naming and shaming the perpetrators is not enough. They should be jailed. If they are not arrested, it will encourage others. All government arms should work together to end the vice.”
Gandawa said corruption at high levels of government was threatening investment.
“The sooner we get rid of corrupt people, the better. No investor will come to the country because all the investment money will benefit a few corrupt individuals. This will be hurting the country,” he said.
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The theme song for the music competition was Let’s Shun Corruption.
He said corrution was also threatening citizens’ access to critical social services enshrined in the Constitution.
“For someone to get a water cleaning tender, he will have to pay a lot of people. The citizens who need access to clean water will suffer. Corruption is a threat to human rights,” he said.
Speaking at the same occasion, ZimRights director Okay Machisa said: “Corruption is a weevil. We have allowed it to destroy our country. A country cannot be built on corrupt tendencies.”
