CORRUPTION IN ZIMBABWEAN URBAN LOCAL AUTHORITIES: CASE STUDY OF THE GWERU CITY

The research aims to analyze the causes of corruption, anti corruption measures that have been put in place, the challenges that have been faced in the implementation of these strategies and what can be done to improve them. Public sector officials have been seen engaging in corrupt activities and meeting their private gain at the expense of service delivery. Corruption is caused by a variety of factors, if they are not addressed corruption will not be successfully arrested and society will continue to suffer. Forms of corruption which include bribery, nepotism, gross mismanagement of council funds and misuse of council assets, selling of council assets at low rates and the bribing of council workers, have impacted negatively on service delivery. The research was conducted at Gweru City Council and questionnaires and interviews were used to elicit data from the informants. The anti corruption measures revealed include internal and external auditing, punishing of offenders, whistle blowing, use of the code of ethics among other strategies. However, these strategies have not been fully implemented to make them totally effective. The recommendations are that codes of conduct and strong independent oversight bodies should be put in place, improvement of remuneration, internal and external auditing will help curb corrupt practices, penalties should be stiffer but not discriminatory and whistleblowers should report cases of corruption without fear, the media should investigate, report and expose corruption without undermining the credibility of anti corruption efforts. Civil society organizations should be allowed to access and question council information and decisions.