Evaluating the efficacy of anti-corruption measures in the procurement system: a case study of Marondeza Municipality in Mashonaland East of Zimbabwe.

Anti-corruption measures are put forward as a panacea to effective procurement system, among other things, which ultimately improve service delivery. Corruption has demonstrated remarkable durability and flexibility to survive in all socio-economic systems with the conception of a corruption-free economy in reality, is hardly possible. Given this background, this study sought to evaluate the efficacy of the already implemented anti-corruption measures in the procurement processes of Marondera Municipality. To understand their effectiveness, relevant literature was reviewed. Different scholars point against the ineffectiveness of these measures, with Corruption Perception Index (CPI) from previous research showing devastating results in Zimbabwean local institutions. A further discussion of corruption conception, different anti-corruption measures and legal frameworks gave a greater understanding of the area under study. In this study, a sample of 80 respondents was identified and data collected from them using both snow ball and purposive sampling methods. Thirty-five of them were female respondents and forty-five were male respondents from Marondera Municipal community, with different demographical characteristics which was used for comparison of responses. Questionnaires and interviews were used as research instruments. Both the Quantitative and the Qualitative research methods were used in the analysis of the data, to increase validity and reliability of the findings. After data analysis and presentation, the researcher came up with conclusions and out of those conclusions some recommendations were made. A thematic analysis was employed and the study revealed that corruption is not decreasing even in the face of anti-corruption measures. Causes, manifestations and challenges in the fight against corruption in Marondera Municipality were also identified in the findings. Thus the study recommended a combination of automated and traditional measures, transparency and accountability, a proactive approach versus a reactive one, improve personnel policies, professionalising procurement versus politicising it and using the centralised hotline system. It would be advisable that the Zimbabwean government and especially Marondera municipality take cognizance of the results and concerns in an effort to ensure corruption is reduced to reasonable levels