TRANSPARENCY International-Zimbabwe (TI-Z) has decried the deep entrenchment of corruption in the country and bad governance despite a well-articulated Constitution on anti-corruption and President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s pledge to end the vice. BY VENERANDA LANGA In its latest report, TI-Z said corruption had condemned most citizens into abject poverty. For the past five years, the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index has perceived Zimbabwe as a very corrupt country, and the Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG), which measures governance, also ranked Zimbabwe 39th out of 54 countries in Africa on governance issues. “The Constitution of Zimbabwe contains several provisions that speak to good governance. Its key elements are accountability, transparency, responsiveness, combatting corruption, citizen participation, and an enabling legal/judicial framework,” TI-Z said. “If the supreme law has solid provisions that make it possible for Zimbabwe to fight corruption, where are we going wrong?” The TI-Z called for deterrent measures against corrupt individuals regardless of status, financial or political clout. “Zimbabwe should provide and maintain an effective constitutional right such as the freedom to demonstrate and petition, freedom of expression and access to information to ensure that civil society and the media play their role of exposing and reporting on corruption. “There is need to value the constitution. A nation’s Constitution should be its most valued document. The proposed amendments to the Constitution, especially those that relate to oversight, and accountability must not be compromised,” the organisation said. TI-Z said corrective measures pertaining to the Judiciary must be adopted in order to market a non-corrupt image and rebuild legitimacy and confidence in the system.