Zimbabwe: Corruption Is Robbing Zimbabweans – U.S. Ambassador
The United States Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Pamela Tremont, described corruption as a cancer that is robbing the people of Zimbabwe of their precious resources, warning that this has had a detrimental effect on trade and investment within the country.
Ambassador Tremont made these remarks during the 249th US Independence Day celebrations held in Harare on Wednesday.
The office of the Prosecutor General admitted that the country loses about US$2 billion annually due to illicit deals and leakages.
Addressing delegates at the celebrations, Tremont said corruption is like a cancer that must be nipped in the bud.
“A strong stance against corruption is also imperative, as it is corrosive to an investment climate. I strongly encourage efforts to fight this cancer in Zimbabwe’s economy that robs the Zimbabwean people of the benefit of their precious resources and raises exponentially the cost of doing business in Zimbabwe,” she said.
Tremont added that a corruption-free business and trade investment environment would make the sector vibrant and lucrative for the people of Zimbabwe.
“A healthy, vibrant investment climate would create a culture of opportunity – an opportunity for what our founders 249 years ago called ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’ That is what we celebrate today,” she said.
Although he did not directly address the issue of corruption, Foreign Affairs Minister Amon Murwira reiterated Zimbabwe’s commitment to enhancing its investment climate. He admitted that the country is still learning and expressed pride in taking inspiration from the US.
“We wish, therefore, to invite all potential United States investors to come and invest in Zimbabwe. As you are aware, the government of Zimbabwe is enhancing the investment climate with a view to safeguarding investors’ interests and guaranteeing the protection of investments. In 45 years, we have learned a lot. We are still learning a lot. We are not 249 years,” Murwira said.
The latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) reflects a worsening corruption situation in Zimbabwe’s public sector, according to Transparency International (TI), and the country has performed poorly on global corruption indices for years.
The CPI ranks Zimbabwe 158th out of 180 countries, where the top-ranked country is perceived to have the most honest public sector.
In 2023, Zimbabwe was ranked 149th, meaning the level of corruption has increased, with the Southern African country slipping nine steps down the scale.
Currently, questions have been raised over the cost of the recently commissioned Trabablas Interchange in Harare. Many believe the US$88 million price tag is excessive compared to regional market rates.
By New Zimbabwe.
