This archive report was first published on 25 July 2019.
On Thursday, July 25, 2019, Zimbabwe's anti-corruption authority made a significant move in its fight against graft by detaining Tourism Minister Priscah Mupfumira over allegations of corruption.
According to a statement from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), the minister was taken into custody, marking the first high-profile arrest since the commission was reconstituted.
Ms. Mupfumira had just returned home from the United Kingdom, where she had spent weeks attending the Netball World Cup alongside three other ministers.
The arrest comes as the government is facing pressure to act on corruption allegations, particularly in relation to the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) pension fund.
Opposition legislators have accused the government of trying to sweep the findings under the rug, as they implicate several ruling Zanu PF officials in the alleged looting of NSSA.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who took over from Robert Mugabe in 2017, has vowed to push a ruthless anti-corruption campaign.
He had previously forced ZACC commissioners to resign, citing a lack of confidence in their ability to lead the fight against corruption.
