pr pr February 27, 2026

City of Masvingo strengthens ethical governance through integrity pact

The City of Masvingo has taken a significant step towards strengthening transparency and accountability after councillors and senior officials signed Integrity Pledges in the presence of ZAAC compliance officials and the Zimbabwe Republic Police commissioning officer in line with Chapter 12 of Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), which focuses on governance, peace and security.

The signing ceremony, held at the Civic Centre, reaffirmed the local authority’s commitment to upholding ethical standards, promoting good governance and enhancing public trust in council operations.

The Integrity Pledges were designed to enhance councillors’ and officials’ understanding of the council’s risk matrix and action plan, clearly outlining their responsibilities in preventing corruption and maladministration. Through this initiative, council leadership is expected to proactively identify institutional risks, implement mitigation measures and ensure adherence to established regulations and policies.

Speaking during the event, the City of Masvingo Town Clerk, Eng. Edward Mukaratirwa emphasized that the move is aligned with the broader national vision of building accountable public institutions that safeguard peace, security and sustainable development.

The pledge signing also seeks to strengthen institutional commitment to integrity and ethical conduct within council operations. By formally committing themselves, councillors and management have undertaken to report corrupt activities, avoid conflicts of interest and execute their duties with professionalism and impartiality.

This development comes at a time when public institutions across Zimbabwe are being called upon to reinforce governance systems that enhance service delivery and protect public resources.

By formalising integrity standards through the signing of the pledges, the City of Masvingo has set a clear tone for responsible leadership. The pledges commit office bearers to uphold regulations and champion ethical leadership as they carry out their day-to-day duties. This initiative is expected to foster a culture of accountability, improve internal controls and ultimately strengthen residents’ confidence in council operations.

As the city continues to implement its development agenda, the Integrity Pledges mark a decisive step toward building a transparent, ethical and service-oriented local authority anchored on the principles of NDS2 Chapter 12.