Zimbabwe’s current economic problems are due to corruption because the country is arresting petty criminals while those who have embezzled millions are walking around scot-free, the Member of Parliament for Highfield East Erick Murai said.
He said he had been to jail and noticed that most of those in prison were petty criminals who had stolen things like spoons or were involved in drug dealing.
“However, here we have an issue of a forensic audit where it is known that so and so embezzled funds, but if you go to prison, you will not find that perpetrator because he is walking around scot-free. I actually looked for him in prison and I could not find him and I could not understand what was taking place,” Murai said.
He was contributing to the debate on the Premier Service Medical Aid Society scandal in which 11 executives pocketed $119 million between 2009 and 2013 when the society could not pay service providers for its members.
One MP even said the former chief executive of PSMAS, Cuthbert Dube, who earned $13 000 a day was now known as the Thief Executive of PSMAS.
Murai said corruption was very serious in Zimbabwe so the government should see to it that all those who are engaged in corruption are brought to book in order to enable our economy to develop.
“We are arresting innocent people whilst we leave real candidates of crime who should be thrown into jail, people like Cuthbert Dube and others who are laughing at this august House,” he said
Full contribution:
*HON. MURAI: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I stand up to support the debate that is before us on corruption. In this nation, what has led to the economic challenges in our nation is corruption. We are all talking about PSMAS, but all corners of the country are engaged in corruption. I was asking on corruption, where do we stand as Zimbabwe? We are told that we are 173 out of 198, meaning that our level of corruption is very serious. Most things have been debated in this House, but I think that we are just looking at the trivial matters. What happens is that I am talking about this matter because I have experience.
Madam Speaker, last week I was in prison, I took statistics of the cases against people in prisons. There were cases of people who stole spoons and those involved in drug dealing. However, here we have an issue of a forensic audit where it is known that so and so embezzled funds, but if you go to prison, you will not find that perpetrator because he is walking around scot-free. I actually looked for him in prison and I could not find him and I could not understand what was taking place.
Madam Speaker, if we go outside, for us to say we are inadequately resourced in terms of police personnel would be a lie because there are police officers out there looking for unlawful elements. If one engages in a minor issue like the one that I committed, they will be arrested in a very short period of time. In my case, dogs, hoarses and water tankers were brought in and those who saw me being arrested thought that I would not come back. However, after two days, I was acquitted and did not have any issues. What this means is that we are not serious with the issue of corruption. We are arresting innocent people whilst we leave real candidates of crime who should be thrown into jail, people like Cuthbert Dube and others who are laughing at this august House.
We should be serious Madam Speaker on the issue of corruption. I want to speak with the same voice with all those who debated on the issue. As Parliament, we should see to it that all those who are engaged in corruption are brought to book in order to enable our economy to develop. If I continue to speak, Madam Speaker, I will end up saying unnecessary things and people will not be able to grasp the important issues. I concur with those who spoke before me that we should ensure that those involved in corrupt activities are arrested so that our work as Parliament will be improved. I thank you Madam Speaker.
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