A Midlands legislator says corruption is rife at colleges and the victims are mostly young women. Anastancia Ndlovu said the corruption was in the writing of assignments and marking of exams.
She also said there was corruption among non-governmental organisations as some of them were no longer doing what they were mandated to do.
She called for stiffer action on those involved in corruption because they were the enemy of the people since they were reversing the gains of the liberation struggle.
“I would like to urge hon. members and every Zimbabwean to lead by example. We should not just come here and speak about corruption, yet when someone takes a closer look at our lifestyles and the things that we do, we will be found wanting, so it is critical that we lead by example and practice the same gospel that we preach. It should not be do as I say and not as I do.
“I want to encourage hon. members, over and above, to denounce corruption and to join an organisation called the African Parliamentarians Network against Corruption, which is a group of likeminded MPs who are willing to fight corruption.
I also want to speak on the fact that corruption is not different from theft and it is against God to be indulging in corrupt activities. All of us are aware or are familiar with the ten commandments of our Lord God, the creator and therefore, it is against God’s will for anyone to indulge in corruption and you will be cursing yourself and all generations in your family. So, I want to urge my colleagues and every other Zimbabwean to desist from corrupt activities because it affects our economy and above all it is against God,” she said.
Full contribution:
MS. ANASTANCIA NDHLOVU: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I would like to thank the mover and the seconder of the motion for moving such a motion which is critical and has a direct impact on the livelihoods of our people. As I add my voice to this motion, Mr. Speaker Sir, allow me to thank the President of this Republic, His Excellency President Mugabe, who on 17th September, 2013, while opening this Parliament, spoke very strongly against corruption and he made it very clear that him and his Government will not tolerate corruption any every sector of society and at whatever level.
Mr. Speaker Sir, it is also very disturbing to note that there is no social fabric anymore in our society. People, both young and old, want to get rich quickly and would do anything that can make them have money and live in abundance when they have not worked for it.
Mr. Speaker Sir, I want us to look at corruption, not just in the public sector but also including the private sector and even in the NGOs. There are unacceptable levels of corruption at colleges and most of the victims of these corrupt activities are the young females. There is corruption with the writing of assignments, marking of exams and the young women are the major victims of such tendencies as they are in most cases exploited.
There is corruption even in the NGO sector. It is corruption for one to move away from the mandate from which they were accredited to that country and do other things outside their mandate. That is corruption, Mr. Speaker Sir and it must be denounced by all forces in this august House.
Mr. Speaker Sir, I will not waste much time talking about corruption in the public sector. We all know how many of our people in the civil service just leave their jackets on their chairs. They come in and then use Government infrastructure and resources to do their own businesses. We have many people in the public sector doing any other business other than doing the business for which they were employed, and because of that, for one to get good service, in fact just a service; they will then be forced to pay for such a service. This is unacceptable and should not continue.
I will speak very briefly on the fact that part of the reason why Zimbabweans went to war with the British, over and above the right to democracy which manifested through the ballot box, was the need to control the resources of this country, not to the benefit of one individual or a group of people but to the benefit of everyone who is Zimbabwean, by whatever means a Zimbabwean is defined.
Mr. Speaker Sir, it therefore means that whom-so-ever engages in corrupt activities is an enemy of the people because they are reversing the gains of the struggle for which so many young men and women sacrificed a lot. Above all, Mr. Speaker Sir, corrupt activities rob all young people of this country of their future. Many of our young people do not have jobs and some of it is due to corrupt activities and this has to be put to a stop. I would like to urge hon. members and every Zimbabwean to lead by example. We should not just come here and speak about corruption, yet when someone takes a closer look at our lifestyles and the things that we do, we will be found wanting, so it is critical that we lead by example and practice the same gospel that we preach. It should not be do as I say and not as I do.
At this juncture, I want to encourage hon. members, over and above, to denounce corruption and to join an organisation called the African Parliamentarians Network against Corruption, which is a group of likeminded MPs who are willing to fight corruption. As you may be aware, this Charter is affiliated to the African Charter and globally to GOPAC.
I also want to speak on the fact that corruption is not different from theft and it is against God to be indulging in corrupt activities. All of us are aware or are familiar with the ten commandments of our Lord God, the creator and therefore, it is against God’s will for anyone to indulge in corruption and you will be cursing yourself and all generations in your family. So, I want to urge my colleagues and every other Zimbabwean to desist from corrupt activities because it affects our economy and above all it is against God.
Mr. Speaker Sir, I also want us to stop the blame game. We should move away from saying who is causing the corruption and be unified and speak with one voice against corruption in every sector of society and at all levels. The effects of corruption do not affect one party, they do not discriminate or care which party you belong to or from which province you come from in this country. We suffer in the same manner.
I would like to once again encourage every hon. member in this august House to take heed of the President’s call, for us to join forces and fight corruption as a united front and this can be achieved. I would like to urge Government to support the structures stipulated in Chapter 13 of our Constitution. We have two that are mentioned; the Anti Corruption Commission and the National Prosecuting Authority. It is very sad to note that in the current budget, these two institutions were allocated very little budget and one of them, especially the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), which was given birth to by the new Constitution, is a new institution. It does not even have buildings to operate from or cars. In fact it has nothing. So, it is difficult for it to set up with US$9 million. I want to urge the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development to look into this issue and see how the NPA can be assisted if we are to achieve what we say should be done to everyone who is found wanting.
I also want to urge the judiciary to have stiffer penalties for anyone found guilty of corruption. We have seen stiffer penalties being able to be deterrent enough. In countries like China, for example, if you leave your wallet in your hotel room – Mr. Speaker, I know you have been privileged to travel to China – you will find it there unless someone from the African continent or elsewhere comes there. Mr. Speaker Sir, we need to be more responsible as a people and do away with this get rich quick mentality because when you get it easily, you will not even take care of that money. So it is important that we are united and move together as a people in fighting corruption.
Mr. Speaker Sir, I would like to thank all the hon. members who have debated this motion and encourage that the Executive takes the motions and resolutions seriously, that are made in this august House. This is in line with the doctrine of the separation of powers. While the members of the Executive are also Members of Parliament, they have to respect the resolutions of this august House. We have a constitutional mandate which we did not allocate to ourselves, so it is important that the Executive takes seriously the deliberations of this august House and all the resolutions and recommendations made to the people in the Judiciary, the people who administer our laws. I want to thank you Mr. Speaker and also thank the mover of the motion for moving such a motion. I thank you.
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