The Phenomenon of Corruption and Socio-economic Rights in Zimbabwe

Maguchu, Prosper

doi:10.1007/978-94-6265-323-8_3

The Phenomenon of Corruption and Socio-economic Rights in Zimbabwe

Prosper Maguchu⁴

Chapter
First Online: 27 July 2019

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Part of the book series: International Criminal Justice Series ((ICJS,volume 24))

Abstract

No previous study has investigated the role of corruption in human rights violations in Zimbabwe. This chapter will give an account of corruption and human rights challenges in Zimbabwe and examines laws and practices in relation to both crimes of corruption and human rights violations. Finally, it discusses a specific case which illustrates the interrelatedness of major corruption scandals and the violation of socio-economic rights in Zimbabwe.

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Notes

1.
De Maria 2008, pp. 777–797.
2.
Hellman and Kaufman 2001.
3.
Anders and Nuijten 2009, p. 26.
4.
Vargas-Hernández 2009.
5.
Vargas-Hernández 2009.
6.
Vargas-Hernández 2009.
7.
Vargas-Hernández 2009.
8.
Vargas-Hernández 2009.
9.
Yamamoto 2014.
10.
UNCAC, preamble.
11.
Rose-Ackerman 2002.
12.
Pesic 2007.
13.
COSP 2015, p. 2.
14.
UN 2004.
15.
Robinson 2015, p. 3.
16.
Johnston 1998, pp. 85–104.
17.
Jackson and Köbis 2018.
18.
Adžanela 2012, p. 8.
19.
UNCAC, Article 19.
20.
Criminal Codification and Reform Act Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act 23, 2004 s174.
21.
See in general Warren 2004, pp. 328–343.
22.
Amundsen 1999, p. 7.
23.
Amundsen 1999, p. 7.
24.
Boersma 2012.
25.
Pesek 2014, p. 1.
26.
COSP 2017.
27.
See Muzila et al. 2002.
28.
See Carranza 2008, p. 310.
29.
Commissions of Inquiry Act 1991.
30.
Commissions of Inquiry Act 1991, Section 2(1).
31.
For example, the Fitzgerald Inquiry into corruption in Scotland, the Turks and Caicos Islands Commission of Inquiry 2008–2009, the commission of inquiry into allegations of fraud, corruption, impropriety and irregularity in the Strategic Defence Procurement Packages (SDPP) in South Africa.
32.
See Kirya 2011.
33.
Gildenhuys 2004, p. 200.
34.
Gildenhuys 2004, p. 200.
35.
African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption, Article 7(2).
36.
SADC Protocol against Corruption, Article 4(1)(a).
37.
UNCAC, Article 8.
38.
The most notable such codes include the Cadbury Committee Report (UK, 1992), the King Committee Reports (SA, 1994, 2002 and 2009), the UK Combined Codes (2002 and 2006), the OECD Principles of Corporate Governance (1999, 2003), the CACG Principles of Corporate Governance in the Commonwealth (1999) and the Corporate and Auditing Accountability and Responsibility Act 2002 (USA) .
39.
The Herald 2015.
40.
Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2004.
41.
Ministry of State Enterprises, Anti-Corruption and Anti-Monopolies (website no longer available).
42.
Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (20) Act 2013 , s256.
43.
Global Integrity 2012.
44.
Global Integrity 2012.
45.
Chitemba 2016.
46.
S v. Gumbo, ZLR judgment of 2013 citation not available .
47.
Auditor-General’s Report.
48.
Kereke v. Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and Others (citation not available). A former advisor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, Munyaradzi Kereke, sued the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, arguing that the commission was acting unconstitutionally by failing to investigate allegations of abuse of office, corruption and theft against the former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono.
49.
Audit Office Act 12 2009.
50.
Zinyama 2013, pp. 267–282.
51.
The Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (20) Act 2013, s256.
52.
The Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (20) Act 2013, s256.
53.
Zinyama 2013, pp. 267–282.
54.
Zimbabwe Parliament Debates, 17 June 1982, col. 59, quoted in Hatchard 1986, pp. 267.
55.
Sixth Schedule, para 16. Amendment 18 of 2007 to the constitution.
56.
Pienaar 2000, p. 4.
57.
Pienaar 2000, p. 4.
58.
Pienaar 2000, p. 4.
59.
SOAS 1997, p. 247.
60.
Phiri 2006.
61.
Phiri 2006.
62.
Chiduza 2015, p. 19.
63.
Transparency International 2017.
64.
Transparency International 2017.
65.
Human Rights Watch 2017, p. 631.
66.
Moyo 2014, p. 311.
67.
Moyo 2014, p. 311.
68.
Moyo 2014, p. 311.
69.
Moyo 2014, p. 311.
70.
The 2003 NIS report on Zimbabwe (by a necessarily anonymous author, who sensibly left the country before finishing it) is rich in detail, names and events. As a result, T.I has been reluctant to release it on the grounds that it is journalistic, lurid and potentially libellous.
71.
Shana 2006.
72.
Section 327(2) states that ‘an international treaty which has been concluded or executed by the President or under the President’s authority—
(a) does not bind Zimbabwe until it has been approved by Parliament; and
(b) does not form part of the law of Zimbabwe unless it has been incorporated into the law through an Act of Parliament’.
73.
Section 326 of the Constitution stipulates that ‘customary international law is part of the law of Zimbabwe, unless it is inconsistent with this Constitution or an Act of Parliament. When interpreting legislation, every court and tribunal must adopt any reasonable interpretation of the legislation that is consistent with customary international law applicable in Zimbabwe, in preference to an alternative interpretation inconsistent with that law’.
74.
Section 165(7) of the constitution stipulates that ‘members of the judiciary must take reasonable steps to maintain and enhance their professional knowledge, skills and personal qualities, and in particular must keep themselves abreast of developments in domestic and international law’.
75.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted on 10 December 1948, G.A. Res. 217A(III), UN Doc. A/180 at 71 (1948).
76.
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, adopted on 16 December 1966, entry into force on 3 January 1976, acceded to by Zimbabwe on 13 August 1991, G.A. Res. 2200A(XXI), 21 UN GAOR Supp. (No. 16) at 49, UN Doc. A/6316 (1966), 993 U.N.T.S. 3.
77.
African [Banjul] Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, adopted on 27 June 1981, entry into force on 21 October 1986, ratified by Zimbabwe on 30 May 1986, OAU Doc. CAB/LEG/67/3 rev. 5, 21 I.L.M. 58 (1982).
78.
Zimbabwe itself is a party to the ICESCR, ICCPR and ACHPR, as well as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (acceded 12 June 1991), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (acceded 11 October 1990), the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (acceded 12 June 1991), the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ratified 19 January 1995) and the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (ratified 5 September 2008).
79.
Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013, s. 75.
80.
Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013, s. 76.
81.
Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013, s. 77.
82.
Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013, s. 73.
83.
Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013, s. 80.
84.
Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013, s. 81.
85.
Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013, s. 82.
86.
Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013, s. 83.
87.
Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013, s. 84.
88.
Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013, ss. 44 and 45.
89.
Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013, s. 45.
90.
Act 12, 2004.
91.
Feltoe 2012, p. 2.
92.
Feltoe 2012, p. 2.
93.
Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013, s. 243 1 b and c respectively.
94.
Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013, s. 167 1 b.
95.
Gubbay 1997, p. 233.
96.
Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013, s. 173.
97.
Telecel Zimbabwe (Private) Limited v. Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe and Others, HH/446/15.
98.
Keith 2010, p. 370.
99.
Howard 1991; Epp 1998. Cited in Keith 2010, p. 370.
100.
Human Rights Watch 2013.
101.
Youde 2010, pp. 687–704; Ncayiyana 2009, p. 7; Ahmed et al. 2011, pp. 541–546.
102.
Price-Smith 2009.
103.
UN Committee on ESCR, The Right to the Highest Attainable Standard of Health, para 43.
104.
UNCESCR, Article 2(1).
105.
Free Legal Assistance Group and Others v. Zaire, Comm. No. 25/89, 47/90, 56/91, 100/93.
106.
Beyrer 2002.
107.
Beyrer 2002.
108.
Beyrer 2002.
109.
Free Legal Assistance Group and Others v. Zaire, Comm. No. 25/89, 47/90, 56/91, 100/93.
110.
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Fact Sheet 33.
111.
Human Rights Watch 2013.
112.
Human Rights Watch 2013, p. 5.
113.
Human Rights Watch 2013, p. 5.
114.
Democratic Republic of Congo v. Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, 227/99, para 88.
115.
Human Rights Watch 2013, p. 5.
116.
General Comment No. 15, para 10.
117.
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Fact Sheet 33.
118.
Human Rights Watch 2013, p. 5.
119.
Human Rights Watch 2013, p. 5.
120.
Doig 2006, p. 71.

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Centre for the Politics of Transnational Law, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Prosper Maguchu

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Maguchu, P. (2019). The Phenomenon of Corruption and Socio-economic Rights in Zimbabwe. In: Transitional Justice and Socio-Economic Rights in Zimbabwe. International Criminal Justice Series, vol 24. T.M.C. Asser Press, The Hague. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6265-323-8_3

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6265-323-8_3
Published: 27 July 2019
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