The announcement published elsewhere in this newspaper, may signal a much-needed paradigm shift by the body which has dismally failed to live up to its expectations.When the ACC was formed, hopes were high that it could act with the same zeal as the now defunct South African anti-corruption crack unit, the Scorpions.
But all these hopes were misplaced as the body failed to lift a finger as corruption spread its tentacles across all the sectors of the Zimbabwe economy and beyond.
With evidence of high-level crime and corruption being abundant, the failure by the ACC to act has baffled many who now regard it as toothless.
It is against this background that reports that the body is finally going for the big fish are most welcome.
Fighting corruption from the top is the surest way to send a signal that the body is now serious about tackling the scourge, without any regard to the positions people occupy in society.
It is lack of willpower to go for the bigger fish that has, from the start, hamstrung the body which has powers to investigate persons involved in corruption, theft and the abuse of power.
Reports abound of ministers who have surprisingly acquired vast properties in almost all major towns; others who have looted parastatals or are involved in illicit diamond dealings costing the country millions of dollars.
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There is, however, need for caution. It is too early for anti-corruption crusaders to celebrate. Effectively the ACC has sent positive signals of its intentions but there are obstacles ahead, such as the spirited attempt in the public media to stop it in its tracks.
It’s cases against bigwigs may just fizzle out because the Attorney General, Johannes Tomana, cannot be counted on as an ally in the anti-graft exercise. Just recently, Tomana declined to prosecute MPs who were accused of looting the Constituency Development Fund. He is expected to continue doing same.
