By Correspondent
The Auditor-General’s report has become a recurring fest of the dubious, the shocking and the brazenly illegal.
However what is disturbing and confusing is the apparent absence of any decisive action.
The former AG Mildred Chiri carved a podium for herself as a forthright revealer of the dark underside of Government and Local Authorities.
However, not much happened to all those she explicitly implicated and cited.
The current AG, Rhea Kujinga has also maintained that same level.
The 2023 report carries a host of illegal deals, transactions and actions which could be fodder for National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
Which creates the question of who then is responsible for this brazen impotence.
Between A Rock And An Impotent Parliament
According to the Auditor General’s Office (AGO) their flexibility is limited.
“Our reports are submitted to Parliament who represent the people of Zimbabwe.
“The reports are discussed at the relevant committees.
These include the Public Accounts Committees (PAC) made famous during former legislator Tendai Biti’s incendiary Parliamentary ‘Courts’.
“Where necessary the accounting officers are called upon for interrogation.
After discussions are complete the Parliamentary committees with the assistance of the OAG give recommendations which must be implemented by the entity concerned.
Thereafter, the AOG follows up to confirm whether the recommendations have been implemented.
The Constitution guarantees the independence of the OAG from government.
It stipulates that the OAG is subject only to the constitution and the law.
This has allowed it to have some form of independence and authenticity.
However, the other offices down the chain such as the Attorney-General are not so independent.
Our Parliament again, is never one to defined by labels constitutionally.
It remains a largely impotent behemoth large on sound and small on action.
It can’t and won’t follow up anything of significance beyond the pages of the OAG’s report.
