Chaos rocks Govt ministries

SAMANTHA MADE AND ROBIN PHIRI

A storm is brewing in Zimbabwe’s public sector after the latest Auditor-General (AG)’s report exposed rampant financial mismanagement, fuel irregularities, and systemic corruption across multiple government ministries, with millions of dollars’ worth of assets either unaccounted for or undelivered.

The damning findings by Acting Auditor-General Rheah Kujinga, have rattled the corridors of power, revealing a troubling pattern of weak internal controls, lack of transparency, and misappropriation of public funds,  all of which are undermining service delivery and eroding public trust.

“Cases of loss of fuel were on the increase,” Kujinga said. “These were attributed to control weaknesses in fuel management, ranging from non-maintenance of fuel registers, inconsistent fuel recordings, non-performance of fuel reconciliations, absence of segregation of duties, and weak supervisory checks.”

According to the report, several government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) failed basic accountability tests on fuel usage and control. In many instances, fuel registers were not maintained, records were inconsistent or missing, and there was no oversight or reconciliation.

The audit warned that this left the door wide open for theft, unauthorized transactions, and diversion of state resources for personal use.

“Measures around fuel management should be enhanced,” Kujinga added, underlining the urgent need for ministries to introduce robust systems to safeguard against abuse.

Perhaps most striking was the revelation that millions of dollars were spent on critical goods — including vehicles, laptops, fire trucks, and office furniture — which were never delivered.

As of May 30, 2025, the government was still waiting for 40 vehicles, 17 fire trucks, 83 desktops, and 75 laptops that were paid for between 2021 and 2024.

“Non-delivery of procured goods is still a cause for concern in government,” said Kujinga. “Contract monitoring was not effectively done, as provisions of the contract on non-performance by the supplier were not invoked.”

She warned that failure to enforce procurement contracts not only risks financial losses but also cripples service delivery, as essential tools of trade remain unavailable.

“There is a risk of excessive contract price variations if payments and deliveries are not made within the agreed contract period,” Kujinga said.

The Auditor-General also flagged serious issues with the maintenance of asset registers — vital records that track government-owned equipment and property. In several ministries, these registers were either missing, incomplete, or contained incorrect information, making it difficult to verify asset existence or value.

“Asset registers were not in place, had incorrect quantities recorded, and lacked details such as serial numbers, purchase dates, and asset location,” Kujinga revealed.

Such failures compromise both operational oversight and the transition to the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), the globally accepted framework for public sector financial reporting.

In another alarming development, the report showed that revenue collection across seven ministries remained low in 2024, with more than ZWG20.2m and US$14.5m in outstanding revenue yet to be recovered.

“Adequate steps and strategies were not being taken to collect outstanding revenue,” Kujinga said. “MDAs should continuously engage debtors for the recovery of outstanding revenue.”

She emphasized that government investments must be closely monitored, with dividends paid into the Sub-Exchequer Account, to ensure financial discipline.

The National Heroes Dependants Assistance Fund came under scrutiny after it failed to produce supporting documents for administrative expenses totaling ZWL$21.3m for the year ended December 31, 2023 — nearly triple the ZWL$7.5m reported the previous year.

“Management should ensure that payments are adequately supported,” Kujinga stressed. “Unauthorized payments may be processed in the absence of proper supporting documents.”

The inability to verify expenditures raises red flags around potential fraud, and casts doubt on the accuracy of the Fund’s financial statements.

Shockingly, Treasury itself was not spared. The Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF), which holds the nation’s public funds, did not maintain an investment register or submit investment certificates for audit. This left the Auditor-General unable to confirm whether the investments disclosed in the government’s financial statements were complete or even real.

“The authority to invest and the investment certificates were not submitted for audit. Therefore, I could not confirm the completeness of investments disclosed,” Kujinga reported.

She urged Treasury to maintain proper records to reduce risk of omissions and ensure accountability in investment management.

The 2025 audit paints a grim picture of a government struggling to manage its finances and assets, with weak oversight mechanisms and chronic non-compliance across ministries. Experts say the findings demand urgent action from Treasury and the Public Accounts Committee to restore accountability and protect public funds.

As public frustration mounts, the scandal has reignited calls for reform in procurement, financial reporting, and enforcement mechanisms to rein in corruption and mismanagement.

If left unaddressed, analysts warn, the audit’s findings could deepen the credibility crisis facing the state and undermine the delivery of critical public services already stretched thin in a fragile economy.