In a bold step towards strengthening governance in the Second Republic, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce has embarked on a landmark initiative to entrench integrity and accountability within State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) under its purview.
At a ceremony led by the Minister, Hon. N.M. Ndhlovu, board members of SOEs signed Integrity Pledges before the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC). The SOEs include National Competitiveness Commission (NCC), Competition and Tariff Commission, Consumer Protection Commission (CPC), Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ), Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Company and Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company (ZISCO).
The signing signals the Ministry’s commitment to building robust, efficient, and trustworthy public entities that drive industrialisation and economic transformation.
“You are pledging to uphold accountability, to be answerable for your performance, your decisions, and the resources entrusted to you. And you are dedicating yourselves to professionalism, to govern your enterprises with the same rigor, strategic vision, and efficiency demanded by the most competitive private sector entities and the citizens,” said Minister Ndhlovu.
The Ministry underscored that corruption often manifests in subtle forms, such as deliberately complicating access to services or products in order to solicit bribes. The Integrity Pledges are therefore designed to eliminate such practices and ensure that citizens and businesses are served with fairness and professionalism.
“Let me be clear, signing this pledge is the easy part. The true test begins when you leave this room. It will be tested in every tender you award, in every contract you sign, in every expense you approve, and in every decision you make that pits personal convenience against national duty,” said Minister Ndhlovu.
This development is expected to accelerate the attainment of Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030, with integrity positioned as the cornerstone of industrialisation and economic prosperity.
The Ministry called on the public to embrace the national anti-corruption thrust by refusing, resisting, and reporting corrupt practices whenever encountered.
