EFFECTIVENESS OF WHISTLE BLOWERS’ PROTECTION FRAMEWORKS IN COMBATING CORRUPTION IN ZIMBABWE

Abstract

Corruption has been on the rise over few decades past and this has resulted in
chaotic economic strides where every individual from the top to bottom seeks to
find a conducive economic space to loot or gain through one or more illicit
means. The statement by the Zimbabwean Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC)
“police the police; guard the guard…” has become relevant to ensure that even
the supposed law enforcers are strictly watched over. However, the crisis
remains on whether people who give themselves to whistleblowing are safe or
not. This study therefore sought to analyze the effectiveness of available
legislation in protecting whistleblowers. It was measured by evaluating the
confidence levels of 384 selected employees from public and private sectors to
report unscrupulous acts internally or externally. The study in this regard found
out that majority of workers in Zimbabwe do not have confidence in the
available legislation on its capacity to maintain their safety in the event of
reporting corrupt activities. In this sense, corruption remains on its rise until
people develop confidence in the laws.