The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, ZIMRA’s Board Signs Historic Integrity Pledge
Francis
Zero Tolerance Institutionalized: ZIMRA Board and Management Publicly Sign Integrity Pledge, Cementing ZACC Partnership
The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) Board of Directors and Executive Management has publicly signed Individual and Corporate Integrity Pledges in a ceremony, Authority's groundbreaking and ISO certification events, was hailed as the institutionalization of ZIMRA’s commitment to ethical excellence and a key step in furthering the Second Republic’s "Zero Tolerance To Corruption" mandate.
A Corporate Integrity Pledge represents an institution’s public commitment to uphold the values of integrity, transparency, and accountability. ZIMRA Board Chairman, Mr. A. Mandiwanza, stated the signing was more than just an affixation of signatures; it was an "unequivocal and public" proclamation of commitment to principles that are the "very bedrock of a reputable and high-performing institution".
“To sign this pledge as ZIMRA is to make an emphatic declaration that corruption is anathema to our values,” Mandiwanza asserted. He cast the pledge as a solemn covenant, ensuring every decision, policy, and stakeholder interaction will be governed by ethical rectitude and professional excellence.
The Board committed to specific actions by endorsing the pledge:
- Exercising judicious discernment and ethical vigilance in every transaction.
- Adhering unwaveringly to principle, even in the face of expediency or external pressure.
- Fostering a culture of accountability where transparency is operationalized.
- Reinforcing the public's confidence in ZIMRA as a paragon of probity.
Mandiwanza warned that the fight against corruption is existential, noting that corruption siphons an estimated $50 billion annually across the African continent—resources that could otherwise fund transformative initiatives in education, healthcare, and infrastructure. He concluded that the pledge signals ZIMRA’s resolute commitment to cultivating a culture where integrity is the sine qua non (essential condition) of public service.
The ceremony was given profound weight by the attendance of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) Chairperson, Hon. Michael Reza, who was the guest of honour. Reza lauded ZIMRA as a critical stakeholder and a pioneer in the national fight against corruption.
“The journey is not just starting but it began in 2019 when they became the first institution to establish an Integrity Committee, setting the pace for all other public sector institutions in the country,” Reza revealed.
Reza disclosed that ZIMRA’s expertise has been instrumental, as the Authority’s Integrity Committee assisted ZACC in training newly established committees across public sector institutions. The success of this strategy, pioneered by ZIMRA, has resulted in the establishment of over 250 Integrity Committees in various Ministries, Departments, Agencies, and Local Authorities to date.
The ZACC Chairperson highlighted the concrete, anti-corruption results achieved through the inter-agency collaboration.
- A joint investigation launched in June 2023 to combat the abuse of the Civil Servants Motor Vehicle Rebate Scheme has yielded substantial results.
- Since the launch, over 500 vehicles valued close to US$2 million have been recovered by ZACC.
- Hundreds of dockets have been submitted to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for prosecution.
Reza used the occasion to issue a call to action, urging ZIMRA and ZACC to intensify their collaboration and upscale financial investigations to curb tax evasion and revenue leakages, especially as the nation consolidates achievements under the National Development Strategy (NDS1) and moves towards implementing NDS2.
In closing, Hon. Reza implored all attendees to internalize the commitment, reminding them that integrity is a "continuous journey, not a once off event". His final instruction echoed ZACC's public campaign: “I implore you all to REFUSE, RESIST AND REPORT CORRUPTION”.
The Integrity Pledge signing serves as a guiding compass for the Revenue Authority’s decisions and a shield from corruption, affirming ZIMRA’s role not merely as a revenue collector, but as a custodian of public trust.
