THE Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) are viewed by citizens as the public service institutions most affected by bribery, according to data from the National Bribe Payers Index (NBPI).
Produced by Transparency International Zimbabwe (TIZ), the NBPI assesses bribery patterns across the public sector. Its latest findings show that bribery remains widespread and normalised, largely driven by citizens seeking to bypass delays through cash payments.
Survey responses from 1,317 participants identified the ZRP as the institution most prone to bribery, followed by the VID, Local Authorities (LAs) and Public Health Institutions.
Cash Dominates Forms of Bribes
The data shows that monetary transactions remain the dominant form of corrupt exchange, with cash payments and mobile money transfers accounting for 634 incidents, far exceeding other forms.
Beyond cash, the NBPI found that corruption also occurs through non-monetary exchanges, including promises of future rewards and bribes paid through middlemen or runners.
Sexual corruption was reported in 44 incidents, while personal services such as errands and unpaid labour accounted for 46 incidents, and gifts or goods such as groceries and airtime for 45 incidents.
The Drivers of Corruption
According to the NBPI, both officials and citizens contribute to corrupt exchanges, driven by interconnected motivations.
Officials or intermediaries primarily demand bribes to speed up the processing of requests. Bribes are also paid to withdraw or prevent negative consequences such as fines or to guarantee access to specific benefits.
Where Bribes Are Paid
The report shows that citizens pay bribes across various essential public services, often to evade punishment or facilitate illegal activities.
In health services, bribes were paid for priority care, quicker treatment or access to necessary documents such as immunisation certificates.
In transport and vehicle services, bribes were linked to fast-tracking the issuance of driver’s licences or allowing unroadworthy vehicles to operate. – IOW Data.
