Friends, citizens, fellow Zimbabweans. There’s a particular kind of insult that cuts deeper than most: when those who steal from the communal pot then try to blame the person trying to stop them. That’s precisely what we’re seeing unfold in the ZIMASCO saga, a story that lays bare the rotten heart of corruption and the troubling ease with which justice can be twisted in our land.
At the center of this audacious corporate heist is a group you’ll recognise: Kudakwashe Tagwirei and Wicknell Chivayo, backed by lawyer Wilson Manase, businessman Danny Marundure, Mines Minister Winston Chitando, and their frontman Shepherd Tundiya. This isn’t just a business dispute; it’s a calculated raid on one of our country’s major assets. And now, exposed and cornered, they’ve pulled out the oldest trick in the book: launching a smear campaign against Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, all in a desperate bid to escape the consequences of their actions.
The whole scheme revolves around a fraudulent attempt to seize ZIMASCO, our vital ferrochrome company. The details, brought out in court, are frankly shocking. Picture this: Tundiya’s company, Avim Investments, went to court with a request to take over ZIMASCO, claiming it needed “corporate rescue.” But there was a clever, deceitful twist: they targeted a company called “Sinosteel ZIMASCO (Pvt) Ltd,” which isn’t the real ZIMASCO we all know. It was a deliberate trick, a misnomer, designed to confuse the judge.
And confusing it was. High Court Judge Joel Mambara controversially granted the order. This allowed Tundiya’s group to illegally claim ZIMASCO’s assets. Thankfully, the fraud was uncovered, and the ruling was later overturned. But not before this syndicate, armed with their bogus court order, tried to storm Ecobank Zimbabwe to empty ZIMASCO’s bank accounts. Imagine the gall!
Twisting the Law: A Question of Integrity
As if that wasn’t enough, things got even more unsettling. The evidence points to lawyer Wilson Manase – a man, incidentally, whose name has popped up in connection with other serious fraud allegations involving legal documents – allegedly working with Valentine Kwande and Judge Mambara himself. They are said to have amended the fraudulent court order within just three hours of it being issued, without even telling ZIMASCO’s rightful owners. It’s like rewriting the rules of a game after the whistle blows, without telling the other team. It’s an affront to justice.
ZIMASCO, understandably, didn’t take this lying down. They’ve since filed a formal complaint with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), accusing Judge Mambara of serious wrongdoing. This is not just about one company; it’s about whether our courts can be manipulated by powerful individuals. The Supreme Court has already stepped in, granting ZIMASCO crucial interim relief and blocking Manase from acting as the company’s “corporate rescue practitioner.” This shows that at higher levels, there’s still a fight for integrity.
The Power Behind the Plunder
Now, let’s talk about the strings being pulled. Mines Minister Winston Chitando, the very man meant to protect our mining wealth, is strongly suspected of helping this illegal takeover through political muscle, courtesy of Kudakwashe Tagwirei. Chitando’s close ties to Tagwirei and Chivayo, two businessmen infamous for sucking state resources dry, raise serious alarms. This isn’t just about business; it’s about powerful people using their connections to stage corporate robberies.
And then there’s Wicknell Chivayo himself. He’s an ex-convict, jailed for money laundering years ago. This man has openly insulted VP Chiwenga, calling him a “failed politician.” This outburst came after Chiwenga, in a rare moment of directness, spoke out against “Zvigananda” – a Shona term for corrupt elites who shamelessly loot state resources. The irony is so thick you could cut it with a knife: a man accused of being a “zvigananda” then insults the very person calling out such behavior. And let’s not forget, Tagwirei is reportedly now aiming to challenge VP Chiwenga to take over from President Mnangagwa. This ZIMASCO saga, therefore, is a direct clash over who holds real power and who gets to define what is right and wrong in our country.
The Desperate Smear: A Common Tactic
Cornered by growing legal pressure and the threat of arrest, this syndicate has predictably changed tactics. If you can’t win by honest means, try dishonest ones. They’re now spinning false stories that ZIMASCO’s Chinese shareholders paid Chiwenga millions in bribes for “protection” from Chivayo’s group. They’re even claiming Chiwenga is “blocking investment” by siding with foreign owners. This is a deliberate attempt to stir up anger against Chinese investors and, crucially, to divert attention from their own criminal acts.
But the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe hasn’t been fooled. They’ve openly expressed their concern to our government about the safety of their investment in ZIMASCO, demanding that the company’s assets be protected from illegal interference. This shows that the world is watching, and that such corporate thievery not only hurts ordinary Zimbabweans but also scares away the very investors we need.
The sad truth is, corruption continues to tear our country apart. Any real efforts to fight it are often blocked because our anti-corruption bodies, like ZACC and the ZRP, seem unable or unwilling to act against powerful culprits like Wicknell Chivayo, Wilson Manase, Winston Chitando, Danny Marundure, and Shepherd Tundiya. This lack of action points directly to high-level political protection, which has become the fuel for corruption in our country. VP Chiwenga’s stand against corruption has made him a target for these nasty attacks and made-up stories, just like what we’re seeing in this ZIMASCO attempted heist.
Zimbabwe is at a real risk of losing the foreign investment it needs to grow. If this deepening corruption, the manipulation of our courts, and these politically connected corporate raids continue unchecked, we will scare away every honest investor. The ZIMASCO case is not just about one company; it’s a loud warning sign of a system that allows blatant theft. It must be stopped immediately. The perpetrators, no matter how powerful or well-connected, must face justice.
For the dignity of our nation, and the future of our children, demands nothing less.
