The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) is set to investigate sixteen local authorities that failed to send their accounts to the Auditor-General, some failing since 2016.
The Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee which mandated its sub-committee on local authorities, chaired by Chegutu West legislator Cde Dexter Nduna said the councils were cited in the 2019 audit report by Auditor-General Mildred Chiri.
By law, all councils are mandated to send in their annual accounts as part of the usual State auditing system.
Councils that failed to meet the requirement claimed they had shortages of personnel and outdated audit systems.
The affected local authorities, including Gweru, Insiza, Makonde, Chipinge, Guruve, Matobo, Bulilima rural district councils, and Hwange Local Board, were asked to appear before the sub-committee.
Buhera and Masvingo rural district councils are expected to appear before the subcommittee this week.
The Public Finance Management Act compels public bodies, including local authorities, to submit their accounts for audit annually.
Graft and corruption-related allegations have appeared in many councils, with the creation and allocation of housing and commercial stands on public land being the main source of the allegations and huge number of staff were suspended while awaiting trial.