The Voice Online News, Harare (2025)

24/04/2025

Silent Killer claims non-payment, not plane explosion fear, caused UK tour pullout

HARARE – Zimdancehall artist Silent Killer has dismissed claims that he refused to board a UK-bound flight due to a dream that the plane would explode, instead accusing promoters of mistreatment, non-payment, and unequal treatment compared to fellow performers.

The controversial chanter, real name Jimmy Mudereri, had been scheduled to perform at the SAMA Festival in Leicester on Saturday alongside Zimbabwean music giants Alick Macheso and Mambo Dhuterere.

Promoters told journalists the artist checked in at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport but suddenly left for his car before takeoff, claiming he had dreamt the aircraft would explode.

“He locked himself in the airport toilet and refused to board the plane,” promoter Fred Matenga of Y2K Promotions said at a press conference.

But Silent Killer has fired back, accusing Y2K Promotions and its team of spreading falsehoods and attempting to discredit him. In an interview with DJ Sparks, the singer denied ever saying anything about an exploding plane and described the account as “a story manufactured to make me look funny.”

“I only go to the toilet once a week on Thursdays, and now they are saying I locked myself in the airport toilet. I’ve never even used an airport toilet,” Silent Killer said. “This disorder is from people trying to humiliate me, but it will catch up with them.”

He insisted his decision to stay behind was due to being denied part of his agreed payment before departure, citing a refusal by promoters to give him US$300 for his family. He said only US$600 of the promised US$2,000 had been paid to him.

“Last year they paid me US$3,500. Now they want to give me US$2,000 and split that with other expenses. I perform locally for the same amount – why should I fly out and return with nothing?” he said.

He also said he felt disrespected after his DJ was not issued tickets, unlike other artists who were traveling with full bands.

“I realised I was of no value to them the moment they left me behind. Then they start accusing me of drugs to justify it. Just because my face looks a certain way doesn’t mean I’ve committed a crime,” Silent Killer said.

The artist, who openly acknowledges past struggles with drug use, said he has changed and is no longer willing to compromise.

“I used to accept these deals without payment. Not anymore,” he said. “Jesus is my manager. From now on, people must deal with me directly.”

He said he believes his now ex two-faced manager, who was trying to please both him and the promoters, contributed to the breakdown in communication and eventual fallout.

Despite the controversy, Silent Killer expressed no regrets, saying he acted on principle.

“I’ve faced too many obstacles. I won’t be silent anymore because silence would see me accused of things I didn’t do.” - ZimLive

24/04/2025

Musician Mai Dhuterere off the hook after US$16k fraud arrest

HARARE – Prominent gospel musician Dorcas Vambe who allegedly invoked President Emmerson Mnangagwa while defrauding a man US$16,000, has been set free.

Vambe, popularly known as Mai Dhuterere, was removed from remand by Harare magistrate Tapiwa Banda who said the state will continue by way of summons if it wishes to prosecute her.

Vambe was being charged with fraud and was out on US$100 bail following her arrest in December last year.

Prosecutors alleged that Vambe told Chrispen Magaya, a former Zanu PF candidate in Glen Norah constituency that she could import a Toyota GD6 duty free with the facilitation of Mnangagwa, who allegedly offered the facility as an appreciation for her music.

It was alleged that in September last year Vambe got information that Magaya wanted to purchase a Toyota Hilux GD6 with a budget of US$16,000.

It was further alleged that Vambe conspired with her brother, Kudakwashe, to defraud Magaya.

“The duo teamed up and approached the complainant stating that they had a car sale in Botswana which had vehicles like the one he was looking for and they told him that his budgeted money would purchase two Toyota Hilux GD6 instead of one,” the state charged.

Magaya handed Vambe US$16,000, to which she acknowledged receipt through a commissioned affidavit, committing to deliver two Toyota Hilux GD6 vehicles within two weeks, the prosecution said.

The two allegedly converted the money to their personal use.

The court was informed that Vambe later gave Magaya a Ford Ranger that was not registered in Zimbabwe and bore temporary registration plates.

It is further alleged that the two subsequently agreed that Magaya would take the Ford Ranger and pay an additional fee to receive a Mercedes Benz C200 to compensate for the two GD6 vehicles he was supposed to receive initially.

Magaya, the court heard, relaxed and started to use the Ford Ranger, waiting to receive the promised Mercedes Benz C200. But the Ford Ranger was impounded by the police for being used in Zimbabwe with an expired temporary import permit, leading Magaya to file a police complaint against the singer. - ZimLive

24/04/2025

Africans root for first black pope in modern history

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast – Africans are hoping one of their own could become the first Black pope in modern history and build on Francis’s legacy of championing the developing world, though the chances of that happening appear slim.

A continent where religion permeates most aspects of private and public life, Africa is where the Roman Catholic Church is growing fastest, according to Vatican figures published last month.

African Catholics attending services honouring Francis after his death on Monday said a Black pope was long overdue.

“To have a Black pope would revive the Christian faith in Africa and change people’s views of Africa, by showing that an African can hold this office,” said Charles Yapi, a Catholic priest in Ivory Coast’s commercial capital Abidjan.

Scholars researching the early Church have cited evidence that some first millennium popes were born in North Africa or were of African descent, though details are scant. One or more may have been Black.

Some African contenders’ names have been circulating, but Vatican insiders are sceptical that any of them have a realistic chance of becoming pope, partly because none have been subjected to the same level of public scrutiny as most Western cardinals.

That is a potential concern for an institution that has been shaken by devastating scandals in recent decades. In any case, forecasting who will become pope is notoriously tricky.

Among African clerics tipped as potential popes are Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, 76, Democratic Republic of Congo’s Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, 65, the archbishop of Kinshasa, and Ivory Coast’s Cardinal Ignace Bessi Dogbo, 63.

Africa boasted about 20 percent of the world’s Catholics in 2023 and added 9 million worshippers the previous year.

Choosing Turkson as pope would be a fitting recognition of that growth and also inspire African prelates, said Archbishop John Bonaventure Kwofie in Accra, who has known Turkson since the 1970s and was ordained by him as a bishop.

“Although it’s something I cannot bet on, as the cardinals who will make the selection will be led by the Holy Spirit, it will be good to have him as the next pope as this will motivate all bishops on the continent,” Kwofie told Reuters.

However, some clerics said that a pope’s values mattered more than his home country or race.

“We pray that the Holy Spirit will give the Church a good pastor, one who will guide the Church towards the true God,” said Congolese priest Josue-Misael Mobatila Kwilu after attending a service for Francis in Kinshasa.

“Having a pope from Africa or another continent is not up to us.”

The elevation of an African cardinal to the papal throne would be widely interpreted as a continuation of Francis’s track record of standing up for the poor and oppressed, migrants and civilians fleeing war.

Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi recalled Francis’s words during a 2023 visit to Congo: “Take your hands off the Democratic Republic of Congo. Take your hands off Africa! Stop suffocating Africa: it is not a mine to be exploited nor a land to be plundered.”

These words were “forever engraved in the collective memory of the Congolese people”, Tshisekedi said on Monday.

However, an African pope would not necessarily embrace Francis’s more socially progressive positions, such as approving the blessing of same-sex couples on a case-by-case basis, which has irked Africa’s overwhelmingly conservative faithful.

An African pope would be clear that same-sex relationships are “not part of our culture” and “would not allow himself to be influenced to accept it”, said Yapi, the Ivorian priest.

The issue could cut both ways as many of the cardinals who will elect the next pope in a conclave may be wary of picking someone whose views deviate sharply from those of Francis.

Turkson, who has been discussed as a possible pope for over a decade, rose from humble beginnings as the fourth of 10 children in a mining town. He combines a long pastoral background in Ghana with hands-on experience leading several Vatican offices, including the Church body that promotes social justice, human rights and world peace. He also shares Francis’s interest in issues like climate change and inequality.

In a 2013 interview with CNN, Turkson linked clerical abuse to homosexuality, saying the Church in Africa was unlikely to be hit by the scandals seen elsewhere – a view that drew widespread criticism.

More recently he has softened his tone, telling the BBC in 2023 that it was “time to begin education” on homosexuality and suggesting it was “not completely alien to Ghanaian society”.

Congo’s Ambongo, a prominent voice for peace in a nation ravaged by wars and insurgencies, was made a cardinal by Francis in 2019. The pope appointed him in 2020 to the Council of Cardinals, a cabinet of papal advisers Francis convened on a regular basis.

However, Ambongo opposed Francis’s 2023 approval of blessings for gay couples, saying doing so would expose the Church to scandals.

Ivory Coast’s Dogbo, the archbishop of Abidjan, was made a cardinal in December 2024 and his visibility has increased as a result.

“Having cardinals from every part of the world truly translates the universality of the Church,” he told Reuters at the time. – Reuters

24/04/2025

PVO Amendment Act validity in question over alterations made before signing

HARARE – Legal watchdog Veritas has raised alarm over the validity of the recently gazetted Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Amendment Act, citing discrepancies between the final Act and the version passed by the Senate.

The Act, published in the Government Gazette on April 11 as Act 1 of 2025, is meant to overhaul Zimbabwe’s regulation of non-governmental organisations. However, Veritas contends that what was published does not reflect what was actually approved by both Houses of Parliament.

“In light of these discrepancies, the amendment Act cannot be regarded as an accurate reflection of the Bill that was passed by the Senate,” Veritas said in a legal analysis. “This effectively invalidates it because it does not represent the will of Parliament.”

Among the discrepancies cited are the insertion of a preamble and a long title in the gazetted Act that were never debated or passed in the Senate, as well as changes to the definition of the PVO Board and registration timelines for organisations. The Senate Bill, for instance, proposed abolishing the PVO Board entirely, yet the gazetted Act introduces a new structure for it.

Veritas explained that under section 131 of the Constitution, the same Bill must be passed by both the National Assembly and the Senate before it can be signed into law by the President and gazetted.

“Clearly that did not happen in the case of the PVO Amendment Act,” Veritas stated, adding that “the Act is invalid.”

This is not the first time procedural irregularities have marred the Bill’s legislative path. In 2024, Veritas flagged similar inconsistencies, leading to the President recommitting the Bill to the Senate.

The watchdog has published both the Senate version of the Bill and a consolidated version of the PVO Act on its website for public reference. - ZimLive

24/04/2025

ZITF organisers apologise after blackout keeps Chiwenga waiting

BULAWAYO – Organisers of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair apologised on Wednesday after a 15-minute power cut delayed Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s speech during a business conference.

Industry and trade minister Mangaliso Ndlovu had just invited Chiwenga to address the Zimbabwe International Business Conference when the room suddenly went dark. Chiwenga remained in his seat.

Power returned briefly after five minutes but it went off again. Electricity was finally restored from a backup generator about 10 minutes later.

Ndlovu immediately offered an apology.

“I want to sincerely apologise to our guest of honour (Chiwenga) for the technical fault we are experiencing and want to extend the same apology to you all,” the minister told the attendees, among them foreign delegates.

ZITF chairman Busisa Moyo later issued a statement explaining what happened. He blamed the blackout on an “unexpected fault on the power line into the fairgrounds.”

“We seem to be experiencing an overload on the normal power line. The conference backup generator from ZETDC that had been running since morning also developed a technical fault. The ZETDC technicians worked to resolve the technical fault and restored power,” Moyo said.

“The ZITF board and management wish to apologise for the inconvenience caused. Efforts to upgrade our facility into a smart city includes solarising all our exhibition halls.”

Moyo added that “everybody said ‘we forgive you’.”

Chiwenga made no reference to the power outage during his speech.
Outage… Some of the foreign delegates at the business conference addressed by vice president Constantino Chiwenga

Zimbabweans are enduring power cuts lasting up to eight hours daily due to depressed generation blamed on low water levels at Kariba and machine breakdowns at Hwange.

The 65th edition of Zimbabwe’s premier trade showcase is running from April 21 to 26.

The official opening by Mozambican president Daniel Chapo is set to be held on Friday.

24/04/2025

Muzarabani takes nine as Zimbabwe celebrate Bangladesh first Test win

SYLHET, Bangladesh – Blessing Muzarabani’s nine-wicket match figures and determined batting helped Zimbabwe stun Bangladesh by three wickets in the first match of the two-Test series in Sylhet on Wednesday.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz recorded his second five-wicket haul for the match but it was in vain as Zimbabwe’s batsmen held their nerve to close out the match despite losing quick wickets.

Zimbabwe chased down their target of 174 by the third session of the fourth day with three wickets in hand, their first win against Bangladesh since 2018, and their first against any team in four years, to secure a 1-0 lead.

Brian Bennett racked up his second fifty of the match to lead the chase on a surface that Bangladesh’s bowlers failed to exploit early.

Bennett and his opening partner Ben Curran laid a solid foundation with a partnership of 95 runs before Curran fell to Mehidy while attempting to play him over long on.

Curran failed to gauge the spin and ended up sending a catch to the mid-off.

Mehidy quickly bagged four more wickets, sending tremors through the Zimbabwe camp, while Taijul Islam chipped in with another two.

But Wessly Madhevere (19 not out), Wellington Masakadza (12), and Richard Ngarava (4 not out) held their nerve to guide Zimbabwe home.

Bangladesh posted 255 in the second innings, with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and wicket-keeper-batter Jaker Ali contributing with a fifty each.

But the failures of batsmen such as Mushfiqur Rahim and Mehidy prevented them from setting up a more challenging target.

The Sylhet pitch is known to assist the fast bowlers but, unlike Muzarabani, Bangladesh’s pacemen failed to capitalise on the home conditions.

The onus fell on the spin duo of Mehidy and Taijul but their efforts weren’t enough to make the required impact.

Zimbabwe earlier responded with 273 to Bangladesh’s first innings of 191, with Nahid Rana taking three wickets alongside Mehidy’s five.

An 82-run first-innings lead put Zimbabwe in a commanding position and they went on to record a big win.

It was Zimbabwe’s eighth win over Bangladesh in 19 Tests, equalling Bangladesh’s number of victories against them.

The second and final Test is in Chattogram from April 28.

Brief Scores:

Bangladesh 191 and 255 (Najmul Hossain Shanto 60, Jaker Ali 58; Blessing Muzarabani 6-72)

Zimbabwe 273 and 174-7 (Brian Bennett 57; Mehidy Hasan Miraz 5-50)

Zimbabwe won by three wickets

Toss: Bangladesh - AFP

24/04/2025

Burkina Faso army says it foiled 'major' coup plot

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso – Burkina Faso’s military government has said it foiled a “major plot” to overthrow junta leader Capt Ibrahim Traoré, with the army alleging the plotters were based in neighbouring Ivory Coast.

Security Minister Mahamadou Sana said the coup attempt was led by current and former soldiers working with “terrorist leaders”. The intention was to attack the presidential palace last week, he added.

The aim of the plan was to “sow total chaos, and place the country under the supervision of an international organisation”, Sana said on state television on Monday.

It is the latest of several claims of attempts to remove the junta leader who seized power in 2022 amid increasing militant attacks.

Burkina Faso, like its Sahel neighbours, has been battling armed jihadist groups, with an estimated 40% of the country under their control, external.

Despite promises by Capt Traoré’s military government to improve security and even seeking new security partnerships with Russia, the situation remains dire with frequent attacks from insurgents.

In this latest coup attempt, which happened last week but details of which have only just been released, Sana said the plotters attempted to use Burkinabe religious and traditional leaders to sway army officers into backing the plan.

“The manoeuvre was to culminate, according to the terrorist plotters’ plan, on Wednesday 16 April, 2025 in an assault on the presidency of (Burkina) Faso by a group of soldiers recruited by the nation’s enemies,” he said.

“The brains outside the country are all located in Ivory Coast,” he added, naming in particular two former army officers, believed to be behind the plot.

He said “sensitive information was passed on to “terrorists” to increase attacks on the military and civilians and “incite a revolt against the authorities”.

Last week, several military personnel, including two officers, were arrested for planning to “destabilise” the government, security sources told the AFP news agency.

The Ivorian authorities have not yet commented on claims it hosted the plotters but the Burkinabe junta has often blamed its southern neighbour of supporting its opponents in exile.

The latest claim comes months after Ouagadougou said it thwarted another “destabilisation” plot against the junta last November.

Burkina Faso, along with two other military-led states – Mali and Niger, has broken away from the regional West African bloc, Ecowas, to form a new alliance.

They have cut ties with former colonial power France and allied with Russia instead. - BBCNews

24/04/2025

Africa is important to Trump, despite aid cuts, says envoy

LONDON, United Kingdom – US Senior Advisor for Africa Massad Boulos has said that President Donald Trump values Africa, despite announcing sweeping aid cuts that have caused considerable humanitarian distress across the continent.

Trump announced the aid freeze on his first day in office in January in line with his “America First” foreign policy, while Trump’s recent tariffs have raised fears of the end of a trade deal between the US and Africa meant to boost economic growth.

But Mr Boulos told BBC’s Newsday that Africa was “very important” to Trump and downplayed reports that the US was planning to close some of its missions in the continent.

“He highly values Africa and African people,” Mr Boulos added.

The aid cuts have affected health programmes across Africa, including shipments of critical medical supplies, including HIV drugs.

The majority of the US Agency for International Development’s (USAID) programmes, which provided health and humanitarian assistance to vulnerable nations, have since been terminated.

Eight countries – six of them in Africa, including Nigeria, Kenya and Lesotho – could soon run out of HIV drugs following the US decision to pause foreign aid, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.

There are fears that nearly six million more Africans could be pushed into extreme poverty next year following the aid cuts, according to the Institute for Security Studies, external (ISS) – a pan-African think-tank.

Earlier this month, eight people, including five children, died after walking for hours to seek treatment for cholera in South Sudan after aid cuts by the Trump administration forced local health clinics to close, the international charity Save the Children reported.

But Mr Boulos said those reported deaths could not be directly linked to the US aid cuts and said they were needed to ensure the money was being well used.

“It is absolutely necessary [for the US] to review some of these programmes for much more efficiency and transparency,” Mr Boulos said.

“We have to make sure the [aid funds] are going to the right place and that we are getting the desired outcome,” he added.

Mr Boulos, whose son is married to Trump’s daughter, Tiffany, said several US companies had expressed an interest in exploiting minerals in the Democratic Republic of Congo, following his recent trip to the resource-rich central African nation.

DR Congo, home to vast natural reserves like lithium which is essential for battery and electric vehicle production, has been battling Rwandan-backed M23 rebels, who have seized large areas of territory this year.

Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi believes US involvement in extracting the minerals could help quell the violence that has plagued the east of the country for nearly 30 years. Currently, DR Congo’s mineral wealth is dominated by Chinese firms.

Mr Boulos said his country was also interested in exploring minerals in neighbouring Rwanda, but called on the country to first withdraw its troops from DR Congo and stop its support for the M23. Rwanda denies involvement in the conflict.

Asked if the US was only interested in benefiting economically from Africa and not its welfare, Boulos said “our job is to promote the US interests and promote our strategic partnerships”.

Trump is also determined “to end wars and establish peace” across the world, the envoy said, citing the conflict in Sudan as a big concern for the US government.

Mr Boulos, who has served as Washington’s senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs since December, also visited Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda in his trip.

He has business interests in Africa, including in a Nigeria-based company that distributes motor vehicles and equipment in West Africa.

The Lebanese-born businessman said Trump felt it was time to end the “unfair advantage” taken by other international players of Africa.

Responding to reports in the US media that the Trump administration was planning to close most of its diplomatic missions in Africa, Mr Boulos said this was “not very accurate”, adding: “Africa is very important to Trump.”

On the trade tariffs announced by Trump, Mr Boulos said they had “zero net-effect” for most African countries as they touched on “small trade volumes” from the continent.

“Many countries have lined up for negotiations and at the end of the day we want fairness and a win-win solution,” he added.

The small southern African country of Lesotho was hit by the highest of the most recently announced tariffs – 50% – before they were paused for 90 days.

It has used the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) to become a major exporter of textiles, including jeans, to the US. This trade accounts for more than 10% of Lesotho’s national income.

Agoa was set up by former Us President Bill Clinton in 2000 to encourage trade and investment in Africa but analysts fear that it is unlikely to be renewed by the current, Republican-dominated Congress. - BBCNews

23/04/2025

Mnangagwa accused of plotting 'coup against the Constitution'

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is once again at the centre of controversy amid reports of a clandestine bid to extend his stay in office by manipulating the constitution - a move legal experts are calling a "coup against the constitution."

Leaked cabinet proposals by Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi reveal plans to introduce Constitutional Amendment No. 3, aimed at postponing national elections and extending the lifespan of the current parliament - effectively handing Mnangagwa an additional two or three years in power without removing presidential term limits.

Critics argue this represents a brazen subversion of Zimbabwe's constitutional order. "What Mnangagwa is doing through Ziyambi amounts to a coup against the constitution," said a senior constitutional lawyer, speaking on condition of anonymity. "It is a systematic attempt to undermine democratic norms and rewrite the fundamental rules of governance."

The proposals, initially championed by Bikita South MP Energy Mutodi, are said to have gained traction following last year's Zanu-PF annual conference in Bulawayo, which passed a resolution endorsing Mnangagwa's continued leadership beyond his second term.

Originally, insiders claim, the plan was to pursue a third term - a route requiring the removal of presidential term limits via a constitutional amendment and two referenda. However, this option was deemed legally and politically cumbersome, especially given the constitutional provision barring an incumbent from benefiting from such an amendment.

Abandoning that route, a new strategy has emerged: extending the parliamentary term to delay elections. Analysts argue this is an indirect method of staying in power without triggering the legal safeguards attached to presidential term limits.

"This is unconstitutional and illegal," said another lawyer. "Parliament cannot arbitrarily extend its term. Nor can it postpone elections without violating the very framework that governs our democracy."

Legal interpretations differ on whether an incumbent can benefit from a constitutional amendment removing term limits. One view holds that with two referenda, it is legally feasible. The other insists the framers of the 2013 Constitution were deliberate in barring sitting presidents from extending their own rule - a safeguard shaped by the painful legacy of Robert Mugabe's prolonged tenure.

"It's not just about changing the law - this is about dismantling the architecture of accountability," said political analyst Tendai Mahere. "What Mnangagwa is doing is no different from the 2017 coup. Back then it was against Mugabe. This time it's against the constitution."

Mnangagwa, who came to power in 2017 after a military-assisted transition, has consistently positioned himself as a reformer. Yet critics say his rule has mirrored - and in some areas worsened - the authoritarian patterns of his predecessor.

The latest manoeuvre has sparked fears of democratic backsliding. "Term limits exist to prevent exactly this type of abuse," said human rights activist Tapiwa Nyatsanza. "They are there to safeguard democratic transitions, prevent power monopolies, and ensure fresh ideas and leadership."

Government insiders claim the justification being floated for the extension includes the need for "continuity, economic development, national stability, and security." But for many Zimbabweans, these justifications ring hollow.

"Good governance is about strengthening institutions, not weakening them," Nyatsanza added. "What we are seeing is an effort to concentrate power in the presidency, circumvent accountability, and disenfranchise voters."

Legal experts warn that tampering with the constitution without following due process not only violates the rule of law but also erodes public trust in state institutions.

"Once the constitution is mutilated to serve individual interests, it ceases to be a social contract," warned constitutional expert Lovemore Madhuku. "It becomes a tool of oppression rather than a shield for democracy."

As the debate intensifies, Zimbabwe finds itself at a constitutional crossroads. The fate of democratic governance in the country may well hinge on whether citizens, civil society, and independent institutions can mount enough pressure to block what many are calling a slow-motion coup against the constitution.

22/04/2025

Fresh US$100m gold scandal rocks treasury as top Zanu-PF ally implicated

A major financial scandal has erupted at Zimbabwe's Finance Ministry, exposing what appears to be a fraudulent US$100 million payout to a shadowy company linked to a top Zanu-PF gold dealer, Pedzisayi "Scott" Sakupwanya. The illegal payment, intended as an incentive for gold deliveries to Fidelity Printers and Refiners, is raising serious concerns about corruption, constitutional violations, and abuse of public funds.

Confidential documents obtained by The NewsHawks show that the Finance Ministry, under the oversight of Permanent Secretary George Guvamatanga, authorized payments to Gaingrid Investments (Private) Limited - an obscure company with no known public record of operations or identifiable directors. War veterans leader Blessed Geza claims Gaingrid is connected to Sakupwanya, a prominent MP and gold trader close to President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The scandal stems from a deal in which Gaingrid was contracted by the government and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) to source gold from miners nationwide. Under the agreement, the company was entitled to a 5% incentive from the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion (MoFEDIP) for every ounce of gold delivered to Fidelity Printers.

While the original incentive obligation stood at US$60 million, documents show that Guvamatanga unilaterally approved a repayment schedule of US$8 million per month over 12 months, totalling US$96 million - US$36 million more than initially owed. This raises alarms of possible bribes, kickbacks, or "money for the boys," as insiders describe it.

A letter dated 7 April 2025 from senior Finance Ministry economist Itai Munaki to Ecobank Zimbabwe Managing Director Moses Kurenjekwa confirms the government still owed Gaingrid US$36 million, with US$6 million due by 14 April. Yet earlier, in a 4 September 2024 letter, Guvamatanga had assured Ecobank that the ministry had discounted the US$60 million incentive to US$20 million via Treasury Bills - deepening confusion over the true nature of the payments.

Critics argue the discrepancy is deliberate, designed to mask large-scale financial misconduct. "There is method in the madness," one government source said.

The transaction also breaches the Public Finance Management Act [Chapter 22:19], which grants only the Finance Minister - not the permanent secretary - the authority to borrow or commit government funds via Treasury Bills. Lawyers say this renders the entire transaction unconstitutional and illegal.

Ecobank plays a central role as the facilitator of these payments. The bank agreed to buy the Treasury Bills issued to Gaingrid at a steep discount, providing cash to the company while the Treasury repays the full face value - another potential avenue for profiteering and corruption.

Treasury Bills, while legitimate short-term debt instruments, are increasingly being used by Zimbabwe's government to settle debts outside transparent procedures. Their discounting has become a source of corruption, with select individuals and companies benefiting through inside access and manipulated auctions.

This gold deal scandal comes in the wake of another murky financial transaction involving Guvamatanga. In February 2025, he allegedly provided an "illegal and unconstitutional" bank guarantee for a US$20 million loan to Valley Seeds - a company previously implicated in the controversial Command Agriculture programme. Documents show that the ministry committed to repay Ecobank US$60 million over 12 months, despite the bank agreeing to discount Valley Seeds' legacy debt to US$20 million.

Former Finance Minister Tendai Biti has strongly condemned both deals, calling them "looting on a grand scale."

Repeated efforts to reach Guvamatanga for comment were unsuccessful, as his phone was unreachable at the time of publication.

These developments underscore deepening concerns over Zimbabwe's fiscal governance, especially as the country grapples with a chronic economic crisis. The misuse of Treasury Bills and lack of oversight could further erode public confidence and worsen the plight of millions of citizens already suffering from inflation, unemployment, and deteriorating public services. - NewsDay

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