Impact and Cost of Corruption on Service Delivery Cllr. Action Nyamukondiwa Kadoma City Council Zimbabwe CIFAL LOCAL GOVERNANCE IN 21ST CENTURY- FRAUD CORRUPTION & RISK MANAGEMENT
Kadoma City Background City in Mash West Province Seventeen elected Councillors Population of City – Service Provided:- Housing and Community Services Waste Management Water and Sewer Town Planning and Roads Public Health
Working Definition of Corruption in Zimbabwe Misuse of public office for private gain (money etc) Applies to policy makers- councillors Applies to council officials Criminal abuse of office Failure to follow procedure with no need to prove exchange of favours
Types of Corruption- in Zim Local Authorities Bribery - Offering of something often money but can be goods or services to gain an unfair advantage.. Extortion -Threatening or inflicting harm to a person, their reputation, or their property in order to unjustly obtain money, actions, services, or other goods Embezzlement - Illegal taking or appropriation of money or property that has been entrusted to a person but is actually owned by another. Nepotism- Practice to favour a group or person who is a relative when giving promotions, jobs, raises, and other benefits to employees. Patronage systems- Consist of granting favours, contracts, or appointments to positions by public officials in return for political support.
Kadoma City Cases Study Have encountered corruption in city service delivery Housing Stands allocation Commercial Stands allocation Sewerage Unblocking Parking and Market fees Medical Sundries
Bribery Sewer clearing gangs demand money to expedite sewer clearance Ask clients to pay them directly instead of council Rampant theft of sewer rods for private jobs Potential lose of income= $500-$1000 Opportunity cost- disease outbreaks
Extortion High competition for weekend flea market stalls Security and market assistants demand money from clients so as to be allocated trading space Some traders forced to pay using merchandise Some markets allocated in exchange for sex Potential lose per month- $2000 per month
Embezzlement Problem common among officials Top official sold commercial stands Country was still using Zim dollar Separate secret receipt used to sell stands in US$ Used his own receipts books Converted money to own use Total prejudice to council- US$40 000
Nepotism Zim Financial Gazette -Friday, 08 June :52 GWERU — Council has been operating without a substantive chamber secretary for a year now after RM who held the post in a substantive capacity was dismissed in May last year over allegations of nepotism. A similar situation prevails in Kwekwe where MM, an auditor, is the acting city treasurer following the dismissal of AZ in August last year over corruption allegations. Both positions have not been filled after the intervention of Local Government Minister, Ignatius Chombo who dispatched investigators to look into circumstances surrounding RM and AZ’s dismissal.
Patronage System Ward based disbursement of HIV/AIDS mitigation funds to wards Funds allocated on political lines and abused Issue reported to police but the councillors stopped prosecution and paid back the money- US$ General workers positions filled by those loyal to ruling party Advent of new party in council workforce antagonised
Corruption maybe there but we need to face it head on…….
Thank You