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President Emmerson Mnangagwa has ordered Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) to probe and bring to book several permanent secretaries at the centre of failing to account for millions of dollars in stray payments which were laid bare by the Auditor-General’s latest report, Zim Morning Post has heard.
Zacc and the Auditor General have been tasked to complement each other following revelations that more than a dozen ministries failed to reconcile or account for public funds spent without any paperwork.
The Auditor-General’s latest report of 2020 revealed that on one occasion, the Ministries of Housing and Justice bought three cars apiece, all six were not delivered.
The Tourism Ministry paid for 13 laptops, 13 Samsung Galaxy tablets and 50 school desks in 2020. None of these were delivered.
Sources close to the development told Zim Morning Post that Mnangagwa was left fuming after reading the Auditor General’s report and immediately ordered a full throttle investigation into rampant abuse of public funds.
Apart from several ministries’ purchase of vehicles, laptops, Samsung Galaxy tablets and school desks, which were never delivered, it was also of concern that Treasury made foreign direct payments on behalf of 16 government ministries amounting to US$300 599 941 without the required parliamentary approval and the knowledge of beneficiary ministries.
“The president has tasked Zacc to work with the auditor general’s office so that these issues are investigated,” the source said.
The auditor general’s reports have continuously exposed massive financial abuses by permanent secretaries who are the ministries’ accounting officers.
In her latest report of the year ending 2020, tabled in Parliament, Auditor General Mildred Chiri broke down several direct payments made without the necessary paperwork.
“The auditor general’s reports have always been spot on but lack of political will by those in authority has rendered the reports useless over the years. We hope this time around the government is serious about investigating the abuses,” said an insider.
Topping the list of permanent secretaries under probe is the mines ministry which according to Chiri failed to produce an accurate return on public financial assets, which might indicate misuse of funds.
The opening balance of ZW$630 656 405 (US$4, 3 million) as of January 1, 2020, is different from the closing balance of ZW$104 386 597 (US$700 000) as of December 31, 2019.
“There was no explanation on why there was a variance of ZW$526 269 808 (US$3, 6 million),” AG Mildred Chiri said in the financial year ended December 2020 report.
Chiri stated that the funds that were unaccounted for are public funds that should benefit Zimbabweans.
Chiri’s 2020 report on Appropriation Accounts, Finance and Revenue Statements and Fund Accounts indicated that taxpayers’ money was used to buy vehicles, laptops, Samsung Galaxy tablets and school desks which were never delivered.
Most government departments are ignoring the Auditor-General’s recommendations.
Out of the 161 audit findings that were raised in the previous year, 44 (28%) were fully addressed, 28 (17%) were partly addressed and 89 (55%) were not addressed.
Over the years, the AG has exposed the massive rot in government departments and ministries but no corrective measures have been taken to address the anomalies.
Recently, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Accounts Committee in its report submitted in the National Assembly accused government ministries of failing to supply financial reports to the auditor general in a bid to dodge scrutiny.
“For the past five years from 2018 going backwards, the AG has been meeting her statutory deadline. This has enabled PAC to examine and compile reports with recommendations aimed at addressing the anomalies raised,” PAC chairperson Brian Dube told legislators.
No Saints In The Fight Against Corruption
Zacc has been criticised for failing to adequately deal with public sector corruption raised by Chiri’s office.
And while they have been ordered to bring to book permanent secretaries and individuals who allegedly defrauded the state, Chiri’s 2020 audit on state enterprises and parastatals, reported that Zacc had failed to properly account for millions of dollars as its accounting books have remained in shambles since 2012.
“There were no supporting documents availed in the form of invoices or supplier statements to validate expenditure and payables amounting to US$2 064 864 and US$417 138 respectively presented in the financial statements,” the report says.
“In addition, the commission was unable to avail creditor’s reconciliations for the 2017 financial period. I was therefore unable to perform alternative procedures to obtain assurance as to the accuracy and completeness of these balances.”
On revenue, the report says: “The revenue figure presented in the financial statements of US$2 033 090 differed from the trial balance amount of US$1 042 118 by US$990 972. No explanation was provided to explain the variance.”
However, Makamure appeared unfazed telling the Zimbabwe Independent that those caught on the wrong side of the law will face the music.
He said: “The Auditor-General’s report is an important document for the commission as it provides vital information on incidents of corruption in the public sector. As such we take it seriously.
“Our teams will be analysing the latest report by the Auditor-General document in detail and make follow ups on issues that are of interest to us in the execution of our mandate.” ZimMorningPost
