Parly under scrutiny

KUDAKWASHE CHIBVURI

Zimbabwe’s 10th Parliament has come under blistering criticism from political and economic analysts, who accuse the legislature of being too weak — and too compromised — to effectively hold government accountable for rampant corruption, with devastating consequences for the nation’s economy.

Despite constitutional mandates that empower both Parliament and the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate maladministration and financial abuse flagged by the Public Accounts Committee, experts say Parliament has instead become a passive bystander as corruption festers within state institutions.

“Parliament has simply slept on duty,” analysts warn, arguing that instead of exercising its oversight role, the institution has become entangled in political gamesmanship at the expense of public accountability.

In a functional democracy, parliamentary oversight of public spending is a critical safeguard to ensure taxpayer funds are used transparently and effectively. With Zimbabwe grappling with a fragile economy and growing public discontent, experts say Parliament’s failure to rein in corruption is eroding public trust and accelerating economic decline.

“Corruption is retrogressive; it takes us backward as an economy,” said economist Persistence Gwanyanya.
“Parliament must play a prominent role in addressing and exposing corruption.”

Gwanyanya stressed that rebuilding trust in Parliament and other institutions is essential to tackling graft and reversing Zimbabwe’s economic woes.
“There is a lot of ground to cover. Trust in the Parliament of Zimbabwe and other institutions is essential to tackle corruption and other economic vices,” he said.

The budgeting process, designed to reflect the country’s actual and anticipated revenues and expenditures, has been severely undermined by this inaction. Critics argue that Parliament’s failure t ensure accountability has allowed corruption to spiral out of control, with ordinary citizens bearing the brunt.

Political analyst Terrence Simbi pointed to the deep-rooted political culture that prioritizes party interests over the electorate, effectively neutering Parliament’s ability to hold the executive to account.
“There has always been an issue where representatives do not represent the people; they represent political organizations,” Simbi said.
“To attain a seat, one must subscribe to political interests, making it difficult for Parliament to genuinely serve the people.”

Simbi further argued that the dominance of political parties in Parliament suppresses the voices of constituents and weakens democratic accountability.
“We are always compromised in that way,” he explained.
“The political party takes precedence over the constituency, limiting parliamentarians’ ability to act in the best interests of their communities.”

Renowned political analyst Rejoice Ngwenya believes the heart of the problem lies in the systemic disregard for constitutional supremacy, which has hollowed out Parliament’s role as a watchdog.
“Corruption is not necessarily a legislative issue,” Ngwenya asserted.
“The constitution and laws clearly outline how to address corruption. The weakness lies within a system that fails to recognize constitutional supremacy.”

Ngwenya emphasized that parliamentarians have a duty to challenge institutional failures and defend the constitution, yet many remain silent — particularly when their political affiliations are at stake.
“When the constitution is violated, parliamentarians must stand up to challenge the effectiveness of institutions meant to mitigate corruption,” he said.
“If the matter under discussion benefits them, they lack the capacity to stand up for the truth.”

University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer, Eldred Masunungure, painted a grim picture of a Parliament that has consistently failed to meet its constitutional obligations, particularly when it comes to investigating corruption.
“It is not performing its mandated duties to investigate issues,” Masunungure said.
“This is part of a long-standing pattern in the behavior of the Zimbabwe Parliament.”

With analysts warning that Parliament’s failure to fulfill its oversight role has created fertile ground for graft and economic decay, pressure is mounting for lawmakers to rediscover their constitutional mandate and place national interests ahead of political expediency.

But with entrenched political loyalties, weakened institutions, and a ruling party with a firm grip on the legislature, few are optimistic that meaningful change will come any time soon.

“The system is compromised, Parliament is compromised — and until that changes, the fight against corruption remains a losing battle,” Simbi concluded.