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Fraud classes for Zim pupils
24/07/2007 17:27 - (SA)
Harare- Pupils in Zimbabwe will be taking courses in corruption and the dangers it poses to the economy as the southern African nation grapples to end a rampaging cancerous practice, President Robert Mugabe said.
In a televised speech marking the opening of the country's third and last session of the sixth parliament, the aged and increasingly autocratic leader said his government is very concerned with the alarming levels of corruption in the country and intends to fight the scourge.
Mugabe said students in Zimbabwe will now take courses in corruption as part of their curriculum in a bid to nip the rampaging practice in the bud, he said.
But Mugabe's critics say it is mere lip service and needs to start tackling the problem from within his own ranks.
Political commentator John Makumbe and chairperson of Transparency International Zimbabwe (TZI), a corruption watchdog in the troubled Southern African country, says Mugabe's efforts will not help the current generation and needs to punish offenders now to discourage the practice.
Makumbe said: "Unfortunately, such an effort would benefit future generations because it's impossible to rid the country of its current crop of leaders. It's not possible to teach an old dog a new trick.
"The only way to fight corruption is to punish those who are corrupt now and show others the wrongs of corruption. But if Mugabe does that he would end up with no government because a fish rots from the top and down."
"Right now as we speak, they (ministers and ruling party officials) are still grabbing farms (for their kids) although they have benefited years back. If Mugabe was honest with himself he would also weed himself out," added Makumbe.
In 2004 Mugabe launched an anti-corruption crusade and arrested his former Finance Minister Chris Kuruneri on externalisation charges.
But that was as far, as the corruption clampdown went. To date the crackdown has not yet netted any other political heavyweights.
A number of government and ruling Zanu-PF party officials were accused of fleecing off a parastatal through travel perks and financial favours but the scandal was swept under the carpet.
This also comes after Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe chief Gideon Gono two years ago said corruption was so rampant in government and business that he "did not even know where to start" and possibly stop.
For example, Mugabe's nephew Leo, was freed without charges after he exported wheat imported by the central bank to stave off a shortage of bread. The wheat was not for resale.
A survey by the TZI showed that Zimbabwe was one of the most corrupt countries in the world.
Zimbabwe also has the highest inflation rate in the world believed to be over 5 000%.
- Finance24
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