Concerns over alleged corruption and lack of transparency in Zimbabwe’s decentralised nursing recruitment system have intensified in Matebeleland, with community leaders and legislators warning that deserving youths are being sidelined despite meeting entry requirements.
The concerns follow a press statement by Nkayi South Member of Parliament, Jabulani Hadebe, who accused some officials within the health sector of exploiting unemployed youths through bribery, favouritism and manipulation of entrance examinations.
While the decentralised recruitment system was introduced to ensure that local communities benefit from training opportunities in the health sector, Hadebe said loopholes were now being abused, particularly in rural provinces such as Matebeleland.
“We have young people with very good passes — four As and above — from very poor backgrounds who applied for nursing and were never called for interviews,” Hadebe said.
“Those who attended interviews were never informed of their results.”
He warned that although decentralisation was a progressive policy, it remained vulnerable to corruption without strong oversight mechanisms, calling for the deployment of anti-corruption agencies during recruitment exercises.
Social commentator and Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association executive director, Michael Mdladla Ndiweni, said challenges facing Matebeleland youths worsened after the shift away from the online application system.
Ndiweni said his organisation previously assisted young people, particularly from rural areas with limited internet access, to apply online.
“Through volunteers, we helped young people apply online and managed to secure training places for around 500 youths, some of whom are now practising nurses,” he said.
However, following the introduction of decentralised recruitment, the association stopped assisting applicants, believing that direct access to training institutions would improve fairness.
“We still hear complaints from young people who apply but do not get places,” Ndiweni said.
“There are allegations of bribery and favouritism. While we do not have concrete evidence, these views are based on a noticeable decline in the number of successful applicants from Matebeleland.”
He added that the decentralised system concentrated excessive power in the hands of individuals at local institutions, making it susceptible to abuse.
“For decentralisation to work, it requires ethical officials. Right now, people only see lists of selected names without knowing how the adjudication process was conducted,” Ndiweni said.
He proposed that assessment and selection processes be opened to public observation to enhance transparency.
Emakhandeni-Luveve legislator Decent Bajila echoed similar concerns, saying the success rate of Matebeleland youths declined significantly after the closure of the online application system.
“Rumours of bribery remain widespread, and the omnibus application system makes the situation worse,” Bajila said.
“Both shortlisting and admission stages are prone to money exchanging hands.”
Bajila called for the reintroduction of online applications alongside physical submissions, arguing that digital platforms are more auditable and less vulnerable to human interference.
“Shortlisting must be done using artificial intelligence tools to eliminate manipulation,” he said.
Hadebe also called for reforms that would limit the role of nursing schools to receiving applications, while supervision and marking of entrance examinations should be conducted by external health personnel randomly assigned shortly before examinations.
He further advocated for the immediate release of examination results to reduce anxiety, manipulation and mistrust among applicants.
“Matebeleland, being largely rural, faces challenges such as limited access to information and networks, which corrupt officials exploit. External marking and immediate result release are practical solutions,” Hadebe said.
He urged the Ministry of Health and Child Care to urgently review recruitment procedures and strengthen anti-corruption mechanisms.
“To the youths of Matebeleland, do not lose hope. Keep striving and report corruption so that together we can fight for a fair and transparent system,” Hadebe said.
