TENDAI BHEBE
Zimbabwe should guarantee the protection of whistleblowers to safeguard the public interest and to promote a culture of public accountability and integrity, the United Nations (UN) has said.
UN resident coordinator Maria Ribeiro said whistleblowers needed protection through enactment and the effective implementation of such legislation to play an active role in the fight against corruption.
“Whistleblower protection is absolutely required to safeguard the public interest and to promote a culture of public accountability and integrity. The risk of corruption is significantly heightened in environments where the reporting of wrongdoing is not supported or protected,” Ribeiro said.
“International instruments such as the UN Convention against corruption acknowledge the importance of having whistleblower protection laws in place as part of an effective anti-corruption framework.
“Many countries are beginning to have such legislation in place. Legislation is an important aspect, especially if it contains key elements that are essential for whistleblower protection. Indeed, the Government of Zimbabwe requires such legislation.”
She said information about acts of corruption comes to the fore when a whistleblowing system is designed to encourage more reports from citizens and officials in public and private sectors.
“Key to such a system is the effective protection mechanism that is embedded in the system. There will be more reports of corruption if whistle-blowers know and trust that they will be protected from retaliation, reprisal, and victimisation,” Ribeiro said.
She reassured the government to support all its efforts in the fight against corruption.
She said legislation was an important aspect, especially if it contains key elements that are essential.
Officially opening the Chartered Governance and Accountancy Institute of Zimbabwe conference in Victoria Falls last Friday, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said there was need for the private sector and other stakeholders to complement government efforts to fight corruption.
He said the government has embarked on a robust programme to strengthen good corporate governance and accountability in the management of public resources.
Mnangagwa said integrity committees were being set up at public institutions to prevent corruption and promote good corporate governance.
