ZINWA awards Tagwirei US$132m tender to construct dam in Nkayi

Before snapping cement company Lafarge Zimbabwe, Fossil Contracting, a company fronted by businessman Obey Chimuka but linked to tycoon Kudakwashe Tagwirei, had already been controversially awarded a US$132 152 527 tender by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) to construct Ziminya Dam in Nkayi.

Information gleaned by Nehanda Radio from highly placed government sources and undeniable documents revealed that Fossil Contracting is among 15 companies that were awarded tenders to build dams, bridges and supply equipment. The aforementioned company is the highest paid.

Luckdrops Drillings (Private) Limited was also awarded US$2 598 370 to supply and deliver drilling rigs and compressors with capacity.

Conduit Investment (Private) Limited was also awarded USS28 322 234,85 to do the same job.

After the awarding of the multimillion tender, Fossil then entered into a binding agreement with the Holcim Group to take over Zimbabwe’s leading cement maker, Lafarge Zimbabwe, a move sources described as a “launch-pad to fasttrack and monopolise construction projects”.

The Swiss-headquartered Holcim Group, through its subsidiary Associated International Cement, is the largest shareholder in Lafarge Zimbabwe, with 76.45% shareholding.

Tagwirei, a close ally of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has won billions worth of tenders from the government in the last 10 years.

One of his many companies, Landela Investments, reportedly received US$110 million from the government to import buses for the state run Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) without going to tender.

The United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has since slapped the business tycoon and his Sakunda Holdings with sanctions for allegedly providing support to the Zanu PF regime and promoting corruption.

Last year, Tagwirei, after being sanctioned for corruption, continued to do business by relocating his network to Mauritius.

The controversial fuel mogul is said to be presiding over a sprawling network of more than 40 companies spanning the oil, mining, banking, logistics, transportation, and import/export, which have been linked to alleged corrupt activities and state capture.

Kudakwashe TagwireiZimbabwe National Water AuthorityZiminya Dam
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  • Mr Vee

    Why Tagwirei is given all tenders in Zim? ain’t there other companies that can do these things?

  • tnash not tinashe

    Things are now out of hands in Zim yatova game yekut ngatibirei kuenda hapana zvavanotiita

  • Ericado Trolip

    That dam will never see any light of the day, it’s just another looting scheme. We all know that Zanu will never develop Matebeleland any day!

    • John Van Der Bijl

      Ericado Trolip Hokoyo when one cannot repay China for borrowed money. Zimbabwe is on a dangerous road because China has no use for black people.

  • Alois Mehlo

    Putin style controling every public tender

  • Bro Sammy

    The reason they will do anything to keep Zanu pf in power.

  • Bra Archie Chimutanda

    Tagwirei, Ruka chivende, smart Tembo Na ED vaneukama here pane nharo dziri pano vamwe vari Kuri vese vazukuru Va ED Idi here

  • Mark Beach

    Hs sponsors zanu pf and he they dont give him contracts he wont get money to give them

  • Sam Sam-Arzo Muvirimi

    The awarding of almost all important tenders to Tagwirei says it all,ED himself is part of that company.

    • Tim Mudukuti

      Sam Sam-Arzo Muvirimi the real culprit

  • Dan Sibanda

    Even our wives will be given to Tagwireyi 🤞🤞

    • King Ziro

      Dan Sibanda if you tender them out

  • Ashley Shumba

    This is crazy. Zvese here kuna Tagwirei? Corruption ya ED iri so obvious and he doesn’t even care or ashamed of it.

    • Tendai Sithole

      Ashley Shumba i think Tagwirei ,is just a front for ED ,🤭🤭🤭

    • Maurice Maswiswi

      Ashley Shumba, Tendayi Sithole..Tagwirei gets the job done, is financially liquid and knows how to raise capital. He is good at financial engineering and getting projects off the ground. Rather than complain, what is your hustle? Kwana kwana.

    • Tendai Sithole

      Maurice Maswiswi hatisi kuda hedu kukwana kwana ,asi nyika ngaite kuti ruzhinji ruwane zvekuita baba

    • Dan Sibanda

      Ronny Maclean Gumbo don be stupid , public money can’t be won by only one individual , doesn’t that ring bells for u 🤷🤷,
      Everything in the country it’s Tagwireyi , from roads , fuel , etc 🙄🙄🙄
      Is he the only one with companies 🤷🤷

    • Tendai Sithole

      Ronny Maclean Gumbo ahe handina hatingaiti vapfumi tese

    • Ronny Maclean Gumbo

      Dan Sibanda he has the financial muscle most of us do not have. I doubt if that is stupidity

    • Maurice Maswiswi

      Dan Sibanda shumba. I need you understand the conract or rather usd’s where given like confetti at a wedding. It came as a result of competitive bidding with serious criteria. This project will take years to complete. Further it will transform the catchement area into massive greenbelt. LIFE WILL come Nkayi. This is an excellent project unlike the now reality of a dry inhospitable rural backdrop

    • Ephraim Makosa

      Maurice Maswiswi raise capital from RBZ? Mari yevanhu iyi. Hapana chozikanwa apa. He cant go to international markets and get money this one he is not creditworthy.

    • Dan Sibanda

      Ronny Maclean Gumbo .where did he get the money (so much wealth)from in the first place 🤔🤭🤷
      Where was he working 🙄

    • Tawandah Shure

      Maurice Maswiswi hamusi kuziva zvirikuitika imimi

    • Maurice Maswiswi

      Tawandah Shure…whether or not T-Bills are involved or not, the fact is; a tender is given based on past performance, creditworthiness, technical partners and ability to raise the capital. Proof of funds (POF)… zvimwe zvese we can talk until the cows come home but fact remains the bidding was competitive. Whether or not he was the most/least expensive is neither here no there.

    • Maurice Maswiswi

      Eprhraim Makosa very few Zimbabwean firms will raise international lines of credit. Strive realized it long ago by incorporating in Mauritius/SA/London. Sanctions even according to Strive, increase capital costs destined for Zimbabwe.

  • Tim Mudukuti

    ahhh ndiye ega here anogona kuita zvinhu zveeeesee muno mmmm

  • Solos Rubatika

    He is a Zimbabwean and has a construction company does it mean that he must not get tenders from the government in his country, idnt understand this story . Where exactly do you want him to get contracts cz I dnt see the problem if his indigenous company is able to construct that Dam . That’s black empowerment why dont you guys start your own businesses and start competing for tenders than sitting idle and try to lecture to everyone how you want everything done in your own way.

    • Kudakwashe Chirume

      Solos Rubatika Talking of Tagwirei not Rubatika if it’s you yes take it no problem

    • Tsepang Ndlovu

      Solos Rubatika wrse they did not go to tender,he is just being spoon fed all e tenders n thats corruption

    • Solos Rubatika

      Kudakwashe Chirume iwe vhurawo yako company unenge wapedza masports nyika inofanira kuyenderera mberi even ana Costain construction vakabuda munyika someone must fill that gap sewe iwewe Chirume. Make a plan bru vana vevamwe varikuzviitawo wani zvisineyi tese hatingazvigone hatingagarire kurwadziwa chete kuti seyi uyu weganda rangu azvigona

    • Admire Murwira

      Solos Rubatika the problem is every tender is going to him… how about other citizens who has companies but not getting tenders. Zim is being run by a group of people the rest we are foreigners that is what pains me the most.

    • Admire Murwira

      Let’s vote and remove this corrupt government.

    • Leo Biz

      Solos Rubatika munhu haungamugoni wena

    • Joe Love

      Admire Murwira no matter if gets all the tenders as long as it’s being completed.

    • Jimmy Dzingwena

      Solos Rubatikainga une hanganwa,watokanganwa Chivhayo zvakaita me tender yeSolar project. You see the problem we are not against our own but they’re milking the country dry.just imagine how much he made from procurement yemabuses eZupco.

    • Admire Murwira

      Joe Love Please remind me if he completes. Let’s start with the mbudzi fly over. Even in 2025 I will be waiting.

    • Maxwell Mafondora

      Solos Rubatika no apana kuipa asi zviri kuwandira kwaari zvese mayibata

    • Evaristo Gachange

      Solos Rubatika Black empowerment is great if it’s being awarded to all,but not only to one man.

    • Succ Mukanga

      Solos Rubatika I agree with you 100%.

  • Thomas Vic

    As long as he pays his US$13.2m in tithes then good for him🙄

  • ABC

    Bvaa ngavachimupa zvose.

  • Dacor Dhliz

    Let them eat at least they are doing something.sometimes corruption is part of development.manje naMugabe zvanga zvakamira kuti tswiiiiii

  • Gibson Mushoriwah

    Ipaiwo vamwe ma tenders.Zim inevanogona kuzviita asi mukati kumaZupco ndiye yepaMbudzi ndiye yeDam ndiye futi which means there is pane aari kudya naye

    • Akim Jafari

      Gibson Mushoriwah chaibvira mumba

    • Gibson Mushoriwah

      Akim Jafari asi vari kukuvadza vechidiki haufi wakaonekera kuti unozvigonawo

  • George Maridzirashe

    All tenders to Tagwireyi, what a fucked up country, kudya mari yenyika zvaripa mhene

  • Jino Nyik

    I don’t understand one thing madzimbabwe ,sei muchiratidza kurwadziwa kna chizvarwa chenyika chawana tender?

    Saka imi pamunoti Moda kuti Nyika ipinde ma investor munenge muchireva veganda Jena / whites chete here?

    Iripo here tender yakambopiwa Tagwirei kna Chimuka ikatadza kubudirira or kupera?

    Saka paye pamunenge muchiti maZimba ane Mari dzavo ngavauye vaite ma investment munyika munenge muchirevesa here? Kna kuti munenge muchida kuzoita zvamunoita murume uyu?

    Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 inodawo here kuti vatema vabudirire kunyanya zvizvarwa zvayo ?

    Are we there yet?.

    • Bruce Muswe

      Jino Nyik giving only one person to control everything is a wrong move and also a springboard of state capture! To be frank enough Zimbabwe is being controlled by this man nicknamed Queen Bee.He controls fuel in Zimbabwe that’s why fuel in Zimbabwe is expensive compared to that of Zambia but Zambia’s fuel pass true Zimbabwe…From economics point of view monopolies are a cancer that eat away price stability and the free movement of demand and supply.An equilibrium will be difficult to attain

    • Jino Nyik

      Bruce MusweBruce Muswe bt homwe kna ichitendera handioni problem Nyika yega yega inevanhu kna munhu anoi controller financially.

      Example South Africa ine family inotozivikanwa kuti vamwe vose munotomwa mavari inonzi The Rupert family

    • Bruce Muswe

      Jino Nyik that’s why Jacob Zuma was removed ! His crime was state capture..allowing a family to control what belongs to the povo !

    • Jino Nyik

      Bruce Muswe even you go to America is the same thing wangu,

  • Victor Dlamini

    The people at zinwa who gave him the tender should be investigated and locked up we can’t have our country captured by these thieves enough is enough!!

  • Pamela Sachiwo-Katerere

    Too bad, another big money down the drain.

    At least Lafarge is a real company, which we all know would deliver

  • Maurice Maswiswi

    From a legal perspective does Tagwirei own Fossil? NO. Does Tagwirei deliver on the tenders he gets? Yes. Was the contract for Zimunya Dam awarded on merit, financial capacity and above board? Yes

    saka whats the issue here?

  • Maurice Maswiswi

    Does Tagwirei own Fossil from a legal perspective? No. Does Tagwirei own a construction firm and does he deliver on contracts? Yes. Is he a Zimbabwean? Yes. Was the contract above board, based on financial capacity and fairly won? Yes. So whats the problem here? Much Ado about nothing (William Shakespeare).

    • Webster Gurure

      Maurice Maswiswi what a stupid answer or question,it’s seems like you are a zanu pf,can’t you see that the guy he’s destroying the future of your kids and our country he’s corrupt,where else have you ever seen such a deal in this world,there is no infrastructure no proper school or hospitals in Nkayi but they looting the money 💰 though dam construction,people like you need to go for checkups you might be mentally disturbed,it can be true since there are no proper hospitals or medications in Zim.

    • Derrick Ndlovu

      Maurice Maswiswi which dam in Nkayi that can cost $132m? This is nothing other than inflated prices as they continue to milk their cow

    • Qaphelani Mtimande Ngwenya

      Derrick Ndlovu I am just wondering. Mnangagwa has taken us for granted. Nkayi schools are in sorry state yet he swingle $132million on a dam.

    • Maurice Maswiswi

      Derrick Ndhlovu…how was the project costing arrived at? What are the constituent components (cost centres) of the yotal project? How many years will it take? The forex component of expenditure? Who is the technical partner (rhey dont come cheap)? Workforce? Site preparation costs…? Piping water to where? Lastly what were the competing figures like? . As you can notice in foregoing, building a dam is unlike building a rural dip tank. This is work that separates amadhodha sibili from hustlers.

    • Maurice Maswiswi

      Webster Gurure try prparing a tender document. It is not that Tagwirei is all knowing.. But rather he has the ability to raise capital and pull off massive projects. Yes, he can. Look carefully at the important criteria the tender board was focusing on.. I want to enlighten you. Many years ago major oil companies heeded the sanctions call and closed of shop in Zimbabwe. (Mobil, Shell, BP. Caltex). The government at one point issued over 60 licenses to import fuel. Tagwirei was one of them but because he had the wherewithal and acumen to put together complex financial instruments, he scaled his market share to over 70% of the fuel business in Zim. In life we should learn to realize nothing is given on a silver platter and that there will always be people who are better at doing things than us. Ask how did Masiyiwa get awash with dough? Why is Ramaphosa obscenely wealthy? How did Patrice Motsoepe get the billions? Mzi Khumalo and his mines..where did he get the usd$’s? Tagwirei started pushing 5,000 litres of fuel and that was not yesterday. #Respect

    • Webster Gurure

      Qaphelani Mtimande Ngwenya how is that possible,yet in Nkayi zanu pf is the ruling party,they win all most recent elections,look it’s like zanu they target rural areas where they believe that they have support and loot 💰 money using the local government which are the people that the community vote for,so in future if your neighbour suffering zanu you must know that he or she is distorting the future of you or your kids,let’s stop this looting by registering to vote and vote for change #2023 new president new constitution Zimbabwe we love,our Country has been captured # we want it back.

    • Maurice Maswiswi

      Quaphelani Mtimande Ngwenya…i followed your critique. #1. Lupane us at best a rural outpost. Far removed from life. It needs trade and commerce to achieve economic vibrancy. Health, Education can only thrive where there is water. Water is life. Do not forget the tourism potential. #2. A dam will transform the entire catchement area into an agro industrial hub and attendant benefits. #3. Tagwirei has gotten to this level because his business empire can afford to undertake Any business or EPC project at any time. Most of us we are mere talkers. Those guys make things happen. Elon Musk can dream up any project or put in a bid to buy out Twitter….Because he can afford to. Simple. Blast off into space..No problem. Did anyone ask who built Joina Centre and where a black man got the $? #4. Two things i will teach. Life is not the Instagram bling posts. The other being to disabuse ourselves that a black man can only do tuck shops, bottle stores and kombis. Pfungwa dzoguma ipapo. The moment you see a black man building Joina Center, dont say ‘ah akaiwana kupi mari?’. They asked Strive those awkward questions. …. Yes You Can.

    • Philani Dube

      Maurice Maswiswi was the tender advertised openly

    • Maurice Maswiswi

      Philani Dube. 9 ways to skin a cat. So you think PRAZ was not involved given the magnitude of the project?

    • Thomas Bipiro

      Maurice Maswiswi urichibaba Tagwirei might getting those tenders fair and square and he is Zimbabwean not muChina kkkkkkķkkkkk .Pamwe ndiye answer yedu Tagwirei wacho .

    • Maurice Maswiswi

      Philani Dube…Zinara is passing all corporate governance attendant issues. That includes how it awards tenders and procurements. Ask the Parliamentary sub-committee on transport. You have to be schooled before you critique. #WeDealMetaData

    • Maurice Maswiswi

      Thomas Bipiro Tagwirei is synonymous with the adage ‘Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo’. Government is saying let the locals (those who can do the job) do it. Months ago the government went all out to urge youths to register with PRAZ so as to be on the tender register. A tender WILL NOT be given to someone in bed. You bid and mind you, tender documentation is tedious and can be costly! It has to be meticulous.

  • Nicky Kamutsi

    Zimbabwe belongs to to tangwirei is he the only billioner in zim ,or he is only qick connection connection to the korapt part from zim those who think about thre stomach, ??????

  • Molly Pee Neverson

    Zvese kunaTagwirei ko vamwewo vanozoita sei madii mangomupa nenyika yacho nhaimi

  • Patrick Ncube

    Is he the only contractor. This must be given to small companies who will create employment and it has to be local businesses.

  • Scheele El Gabriels Gomes

    , then make sure he construct it within a year coz change of government will paralyze the project

    • Maurice Maswiswi

      Government is not going anywhere. They/we/you/them/i….can dream all they want. It will not happen. Remember this post sometime next year after elections.

  • Kaitano Mbaya

    I dont have any problem as long as the company is cabable of building a quality project.

    • Philani Dube

      Kaitano Mbaya I have a problem with it, as long as it involves tagwirei,it smells corruption

    • Kaitano Mbaya

      Philani Dube As long as we believes that white are more superior than us, black business people will remain marginalised.

  • Mjayeli Malinga

    As long as the dam will be built let it be…..’

  • Tinashe Mpariwa

    Wants to control the whole economy.. That’s eir plan and isu takatarisa hedu… Let’s vote
    zanu thugs out

    • Maurice Maswiswi

      Tinashe Mpariwa…do you have a registered company? A bank account (corporate)? Registered with the PRAZ (to provide any service) be it painting/tiling/plumbing/or even supplying toilet paper??? Do you have capacity financial/technical to do a mega project? Stop complaining.

    • Tinashe Mpariwa

      Maurice Maswiswi yes I have actually… And last time I checked u do not tell me wat to do… I don’t know you… Zanu bootlicker

    • Maurice Maswiswi

      Tinashe Mpariwa can you bid and produce a well constructed tender document. That is the point. If you are in a position to teach kids do it and not mislead them. That was my point. Nothing personal dude. Cease fire.

  • Sam Sam Links

    It’s happening even kunana America uko chero SA inazvo waani

  • Nicky Bennett

    New dispensation policies are the ones which have ruined the country because no one knows how to implement the policies and procedures which has gone upside down. Zimbabwe never needed any policy changes and nòw those new policies like tenders faced by nepotism are not helping but wasting the country’s budget.

  • Emmanuel Chamboko

    Tagwirei is everything and everywhere, our own version of the Guptas

  • Langton Gimo

    Kusazofa here, chikuru shiri yese ichangofa Happy Sunday

  • Charles Mpala

    Always busy lining their pockets siphoning the fiscus of the much needed money

  • Maxwell Mutore

    ..If he can build that dam….what is wrong..let us give him the chance and if he builds that time within the required time frame….nothing is wrong. After all, it’s not every one who can build a dam!!!