Effectiveness of the Office of the Auditor General in Enhancing Public Sector Accountability in Zimbabwe

The study examined the effectiveness of the Auditor General’s Office in enhancing public sector accountability in Zimbabwe. The public sector has been characterised by financial irregularities and mismanagement of funds (Bernard, 2009), yet the AG’s office exist to enhance accountability and transparency. Some recommendations from AG’s Office were not being considered, hence affecting its effectiveness in fostering accountability. The study adopted a qualitative research approach, conducted in-depth interviews targeting key informants from the AG’s Office, academics from the University of Zimbabwe and other tertiary institutions, members of the Parliament of Zimbabwe Portfolio Committee of Accounts, Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and other government ministries, and others deemed relevant for the task. Factors that hindered compliance with the AG’s recommendations include; financial resources inadequacy to upgrade public sector financial systems; poor accounting environment; inadequacy manpower and qualified personnel; limited feedback between the AG’s Office and the government departments; lack of executive capacity; lack of political will; and lack of respect for the established institutional frameworks. The AG’s Office is not independent as stipulated by the constitution and its effectiveness is heavily affected by weak institutional framework. The recruitment process is not independent, hiring comes from Public Sector Commission. Among other recommendations, the AG’s legal framework should be upgraded to ensure that government institutions comply with recommendations