BY JAIROS SAUNYAMA
THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) said the Mines and Mineral Act was obsolete and motivated corruption in the mining sector.
In his presentation during a Youth Initiatives for Community Development (YICD)-organised anti-corruption symposium in Mutoko yesterday, Zacc prevention and corporate governance acting general manager Munyaradzi Magiga said the Act had many loopholes that fuelled corruption.
“The Act contains many gaps which are inconsistent with the modern community expectations. It has no provision for transparency and accountability,” Magiga said.
“The Act gives the Minister of Mines excessive discretionary powers. The Act also says mining supersedes all land uses, giving rise to conflicts between miners and farmers.”
The Act was legislated in 1964.
Magiga added that the country was losing a lot of potential tax revenue through illicit financial flows and urged the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) to employ tax collectors with mineral tax expertise.
Speaking during the same event, YICD director Phillip Muyengwa said it was the duty of communities to combat corruption and that this could be achieved through direct engagement of various stakeholders.
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“Communities should be allowed direct engagement with constitutional institutions such the Parliament of Zimbabwe, police and Zacc to allow communities to combat corruption in their localities,” Muyengwa said.
“Youth leaders will present examples of corruption identified in their communities and how graft has negatively affected their human rights and economic opportunities, with a focus on experiences of women, people with disabilities and youth in the informal sector.”
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