President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday said African leaders should fight corruption within their countries.
Mnangagwa made the remarks upon arrival back home from the 11th Extraordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The Extraordinary Session deliberated on proposed reforms to transform the organisation into a highly efficient institution. Said Mnangagwa:
It is necessary that we all agree on fighting corruption. Africa is one entity. We must work towards creating Africa as one economy because we passed the African Continental (Free) Trade Area, which means the entire 1,2 billion market is now one. We must all fight corruption in our respective jurisdictions.
His remarks come when Zimbabwe has over the years been ranked among the countries with high levels of corruption.
Former president Robert Mugabe, at some point, claimed that the Southern African country had lost US$15 billion potential diamond money through corruption in diamond mines.
Since 1980 when Zimbabwe attained independence from Britain, scores of government officials have been reported, accused and or arrested for engaging in corrupt activities.
It remains to be seen if Mnangagwa will effectively address the rot that has destroyed Zimbabwe’s prospects of recovery after collapsing two decades ago.
More: Pindula News; Herald