Harare West MP Joana Mamombe Urges Finance Minister to Act on Rampant Corruption
Harare, Zimbabwe – September 10, 2024 | In a bold address to Parliament during the Mid-Term Fiscal Policy Review, Harare West MP Joana Mamombe has issued a firm call to the Minister of Finance, demanding immediate and tangible action against widespread corruption in government institutions.
Mamombe, a vocal advocate for transparency and accountability, highlighted shocking figures from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), which recorded 999 corruption cases since the start of the year. Many of these cases involve public officials misappropriating taxpayer funds. She criticized the Finance Ministry for failing to outline clear strategies to tackle these issues in its fiscal policy review.
“The Minister spoke about transparency and accountability, but he failed to clearly articulate the specific measures the Ministry intends to take to combat corruption,” Mamombe stated. She underscored the devastating impact of corruption on critical sectors, including health, education, and social services, which continue to deteriorate due to the embezzlement of public funds.
Mamombe also pointed out the government’s debt burden, with external debt standing at 58% and domestic debt at 41%. She argued that funds lost to corruption could have been redirected to address urgent issues such as drought relief and disaster recovery, notably Cyclone Idai.
The Harare West MP also referred to the Finance Minister’s recent announcement of 51 companies blacklisted over illegal dealings on parallel markets but questioned the lack of clarity on efforts to recover the misappropriated funds.
In her closing remarks, Mamombe made a passionate plea: “Citizens cannot continue to bleed from paying taxes while their money is being misused. I urge the Minister to address corruption head-on in his response. This is a critical issue for the future of Zimbabwe.”
Her call has resonated widely as Zimbabwe faces growing public frustration over corruption scandals and the lack of meaningful reform in government institutions. The Finance Minister’s response will be closely watched in the coming days.