HARARE – Former opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa, has issued a scathing condemnation of alleged widespread corruption within the government, stating that “corruption must never be a fashion or a skill.”
His remarks come amid growing public outrage over recent high-value contracts allegedly awarded to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s controversial allies without public tender, raising serious questions about transparency and accountability.
Chamisa’s strongly worded statement accused those in power of stealing elections, mandates, national resources like gold and money through questionable deals, and ultimately, opportunities, dignity, and the future from citizens.
He asked: “Hamuguti seiko (You don’t get full, why)? Mune miromo minganiko (How many mouths do you have)? Ko mune matumbu rudziiko asingaguti? Anombova manganiko matumbu enyu hama? Hamuneti (you don’t get tired)? Hamunyarivo? (Don’t you get ashamed?)”
These accusations coincide with revelations of two highly controversial government contracts.
US$437 million cancer contract under scrutiny
A multi-million dollar contract for cancer treatment equipment, valued at approximately US$437.28 million over four years, has ignited a major controversy.
The deal, signed in March 2025 between the Office of the President and Cabinet, represented by Chief Secretary Martin Rushwaya, and South African company TTM Global Medical Exports (Pty) Ltd, reportedly bypassed public tendering procedures.
Investigations revealed that controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo is the registered director and shareholder of TTM Global Medical Exports (Pty) Ltd.
Under the contract, the Zimbabwean government is committed to an annual payment of US$109,320,600.00, including an initial deposit of US$52.5 million already paid in March 2025.
The stated purpose is to supply and install cancer treatment equipment in various government hospitals, addressing an estimated 8,500 new cancer diagnoses annually, with funding partially derived from a surtax on sugar content in beverages.
Political commentator Jealousy Mawarire labelled the deal a “scam” and a “heist,” directly implicating Rushwaya and Mnangagwa.
A recent unannounced visit by President Mnangagwa to two central hospitals and a Natpharm warehouse two months after the contract signing was dismissed by Mawarire as a “poor window dressing gimmick.”
Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana defended the executive’s actions, stating that “Cabinet’s role is to make and implement decisions within the law. Transactions sanctioned by the Cabinet shouldn’t be assumed corrupt, given the collective nature of the decision-making process.”
This is not Chivayo’s first encounter with controversy concerning public contracts.
A recent report from South Africa’s Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) revealed that Chivayo received over R800 million (US$41.9 million) from a R1.1 billion (US$61.1 million) payment made by Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Finance to Ren-Form CC for 2023 election supplies, with the majority of the funds subsequently transferred to Chivayo’s companies.
Secret hospital refurbishment contract to Prevail International
Adding to the controversy, investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono on Wednesday morning reported that Mnangagwa has awarded a secret hospital refurbishment contract to Prevail International Group of Companies, a Dubai-registered entity allegedly linked to Mnangagwa’s “inner circle” and his Special Presidential Investment Adviser for the UAE, Tempter Paul Tungwarara.
According to Chin’ono, Prevail International’s website was registered in January 2025, yet the company has reportedly secured numerous government contracts without public tender, including the Zimbabwe Cyber City project which began before its registration.
Other projects attributed to Prevail International include large-scale boreholes, housing stands for war veterans, solar initiatives, Mt Hampden Presidential Villas, and the State House perimeter wall, for which it reportedly billed the government US$15 million.
Chin’ono also asserted that Mnangagwa’s recent hospital visits were “choreographed” to pave the way for this “hugely secretive and inflated contract.”
He further highlighted that Tungwarara, who was granted diplomatic privileges by Mnangagwa, has been linked to allegations of fraudulent property scams and unpaid loans.
His company’s Zimbabwe headquarters is listed as a residential house, and its Dubai operations are from a mixed-use building with apartments.
Earlier this month, U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Pamela Tremont, strongly advocated for a vigorous fight against corruption, calling it a “cancer” that hinders a healthy investment climate in Zimbabwe.
Speaking at celebrations for the 249th anniversary of U.S. independence, Ambassador Tremont stated that corruption “robs the Zimbabwean people of the benefit of their precious resources and raises exponentially the cost of doing business.”
She highlighted that a robust investment climate requires fiscal transparency, unbiased rule of law, respect for constitutional and property rights, and leveraging the innovation of young people.
“A strong stance against corruption is also imperative, as it is corrosive to an investment climate.
“I strongly encourage efforts to fight this cancer in Zimbabwe’s economy that robs the Zimbabwean people of the benefit of their precious resources and raises exponentially the cost of doing business in Zimbabwe,” she stated.
Her sentiment aligned with recent warnings from Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo, head of Zimbabwe’s National Prosecution Authority, who stated that illicit financial flows cost Zimbabwe an estimated US$1.8 billion annually, severely impacting public services and development.
