Harare – The Zimbabwean government has officially launched the search for a new Auditor-General, following the retirement of Mildred Chiri in 2023 after a distinguished 40-year career in public service, 19 of which were spent as Auditor-General.
The advertisement for the position, circulated widely, highlights the critical role the Auditor-General plays in ensuring financial transparency and accountability within the nation’s public sector.
The successful candidate will inherit a significant responsibility: overseeing the auditing of all government departments, ministries, and state agencies. This involves providing strategic leadership and technical direction to the Office of the Auditor-General (OAG), ensuring all audits and investigations adhere to legal and professional standards, best practices, and the OAG board’s mandate. The advertisement clearly outlines the scope of the role:
“The Auditor-General is responsible for the fulfillment of the overall Office of Auditor General (OAG) mandate. He/she leads and oversees the public sector’s auditing and accountability functions. He/she provides strategic, policy, operational direction, and technical support and ensures that the audits and investigations are conducted as per the provisions of the law, professional standards, best practices and OAG board mandate. He/she provides independent and objective assessments of public sector operations, programmes and financial management to Parliament and the public.”
The position demands a high calibre individual capable of providing independent and objective assessments of public sector operations, programmes, and financial management, reporting directly to Parliament and the public. This underscores the critical role the Auditor-General plays in holding the government accountable for the responsible management of public funds.
Mildred Chiri’s legacy casts a long shadow over this appointment. During her tenure, she earned widespread respect for her tireless efforts to expose financial mismanagement and corruption within government departments, parastatals, and local authorities.
Her reports consistently highlighted gross accounting malpractices leading to the loss of millions of dollars in public funds. She documented instances where goods and services were paid for but never utilised, sometimes remaining undelivered for years. Her commitment to transparency and accountability was unwavering, even in the face of significant challenges.
However, Chiri’s work also revealed a systemic issue: a persistent lack of will within the executive to act on her findings. Numerous senior government officials and public servants implicated in financial scandals escaped prosecution or meaningful disciplinary action, despite the compelling evidence presented in her reports. This highlights the significant hurdles the new Auditor-General will face in translating audit findings into tangible improvements in governance and accountability.
Chiri’s career began in 1983 as an audit assistant in the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor-General. Her rise through the ranks culminated in her appointment as Auditor-General in February 2004. Over the subsequent 19 years, she consistently championed transparency, relentlessly exposing financial mismanagement and corruption at all levels of government. Her dedication to her role is undeniable, but the persistent failure to act on her findings underlines the need for a strong and assertive individual to take on this critical position.
The government’s advertisement for the position clearly outlines the significant challenges and responsibilities involved. It calls for a highly qualified and experienced auditor with a proven track record of leadership, integrity, and a commitment to upholding the highest standards of public sector auditing. The successful candidate will not only need technical expertise but also the political acumen to navigate the complexities of the Zimbabwean political landscape and ensure that their findings are acted upon.
