We give you live coverage of the AMH Conversation on combating corruption to foster sustainable development.
Present for the event is prominent human rights campaigner and a member of the Kenya Human Rights Commission, John Githongo, academics, business people and other key stakeholders in the fight against corruption, the scourge that has contributed to the economic collapse in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabweans are speaking about Corruption
12:40. The AMH Conversations on corruption end amid calls for more of such dialogue as corruption in Zimbabwe remains a contentious issue.
11:15. Githongo has finished his keynote address.Next is the panel discussion.
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On the panel are the following: Transparency International – Zimbabwe director Mary Jane Ncube, prominent legal expert Derek Matysak from the Research and Advocacy Unity, celebrated academic and university lecturer Dr Ibbo Mandaza and Kenyan anti- corruption and human rights campaigner John Githongo.
“Where there is no moral authority (on corruption), then we are really in trouble, and I think in Zimbabwe we do not have moral authority,” says Mandaza.
Eddie Cross speaks about the missing $15bn diamond money scandal.
“In 2012 I alleged in parliament that Zimbabwe was providing 25 percent of diamonds….on the day I presented my allegations I was stopped by intelligence officials who threatened to kill me…I believe that (Solomon) Mujuru was murdered….the president (Robert Mugabe) is right, $15 billion has vanished, in fact, I estimated it is more, about $17 bn..the question is what do you do in such a situation?”
Ncube responds, “What we need to do is to address the public policy accountability issues by taking it away it from the hands of the executive…we need to address arbitrary policy formulation to suit certain deals…”
Mandaza says the money is somewhere and Zimbabweans should demand it back.
If you can't arrest them make them payback – Ibbo Mandaza. @NewsDayZimbabwe @hivosrosa
— VINCENT KAHIYA (@VTKAHIYA) June 29, 2016
Matysak says corruption is the modus operandi of the Zanu PF government, where people are placed in certain posistions where they can benefit from corruption and pay back by supporting the Zanu PF system.
@johngithongo If you hear the head of state being whistleblower-in-chief (in $15b) there,is serious dislocation @hivosrosa @NewsDayZimbabwe
— VINCENT KAHIYA (@VTKAHIYA) June 29, 2016
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10:20. The Keynote speaker Githongo is introduced
Keynote speaker, Kenyan John Githongo, to speak about corruption and it's effects. #NoCorruptionZW
— Hivos SouthernAfrica (@hivosrosa) June 29, 2016
Githongo says corruption accounts for about five percent of the worlds GDP.
“Media was seen to be central in the fight against corruption, that it must be free….Civic society was also seen as a pillar in the fight.” Githongo points to transitional justice..how do you deal with past corruption?
At the AMHConversation discussion on corruption in Zimbabwe with John Githongo. #NoCorruptionZW pic.twitter.com/TqnhxV0sBj
— Hivos SouthernAfrica (@hivosrosa) June 29, 2016
@hivosrosa @NewsDayZimbabwe The global fight against corruption is only 26 years old! #Nocorruptionzw
— Val (@Valryna) June 29, 2016
Pvt sector does not complain of corruption if consistent says @johngithongo #nocorruptionzw
— Tambudzai Madzimure (@madzimuret) June 29, 2016
“We have to admit that be it in Zimbabwe or Kenya, the local elite that is there started in government….you go into government to get rich…going into government is quick, you have a five year term…you would have recouped the election investment in the first year and you have four years to make money,” says Githongo.
On the $15 billion dollars diamond money that President Mugabe recently said was missing from government coffers, Githongo says he was shocked to hear about that, and with that money having been used properly, he would have expected to see construction cranes all over Harare.
@hivosrosa @NewsDayZimbabwe It is unheard of for one to be an African president that does not say I live to fight corruption #NocorruptionZW
— Val (@Valryna) June 29, 2016
Corruption referred to as 'eating' in Zim n Kenya, 'chop' in Nigeria and 'airsupply' in Uganda #nocorruptionzw
— Tambudzai Madzimure (@madzimuret) June 29, 2016
@johngithongo We have a private sector and a pirate sector …Their commodity is relationships. @NewsDayZimbabwe @hivosrosa
— VINCENT KAHIYA (@VTKAHIYA) June 29, 2016
Pirate Sector made up of briefcase companies whose owners use personal relationships to get ahead #nocorruptionzw @hivosrosa
— Tambudzai Madzimure (@madzimuret) June 29, 2016
Grassroots pple have ways to monitor bad behavior which needs to be taken seriously #nocorruptionzw @hivosrosa
— Tambudzai Madzimure (@madzimuret) June 29, 2016
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10:15 am. AMH Managing Director Vincent Kahiya gives welcome remarks. He says there has been a lot of talk about corruption, but with no action. “All of us have a role to play in ending corruption,” he says.
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ABOUT TODAY’S AMH CONVERSATION
AMH, the biggest private media organisation in Zimbabwe and publishers of NewsDay, Zimbabwe Independent and The Standard, are holding the discussion in partnership with Hivos.
The discussion, being held under the theme Combating Corruption to Foster Sustainable Development, has panellists that will tackle topics such as the Zesa tender scandals, the country’s bloated wage bill and ghost workers on the public service payroll, among other critical topics.
It comes against the backdrop of President Robert Mugabe’s public pronouncements that his administration cannot account for $15 billion of diamond revenue, while the country is ranked 150 out of 175 on the corruption perception index.
Githongo, also a chief executive officer for a non-governmental organisation in humanitarian work – Inuka, will share his experiences on governance issues.
Besides being advisor to Kiir, Githongo is also a past chairman of the Africa Institute for Governing with Integrity and a former executive vice-chairman of the Mathare Youth Sports Association.
In 2004, the German President awarded him the German-Afrika Prize for Leadership. He was awarded the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies/National Defence University Visionary Award, in 2009.
In 2011, he was selected as one of the world’s 100 most influential Africans by New African magazine and one of the world’s top 100 global thinkers by Foreign Policy magazine among other achievements.
In 2015, he was appointed Mimi and Peter E Haas, Distinguished Visitor at Stanford University. He delivered the 2015 Yale University Annual Coca Cola lecture. In 2015, together with Angolan journalist and activist Rafael Maques, he was awarded the prestigious University of British Columbia, Peter A Allard School of Law Prize for international Integrity.