These empowerment programs look more like a feeding frenzy for connected elites. President Mnangagwa's rollout of schemes for veterans and communities faces heavy corruption claims, coinciding with pushes to extend his term. One tractor program for war veterans promised machinery for each province, but deliveries fell short with several units going missing entirely. Association officials had to personally track down the equipment, blaming greed for the mismanagement.
The presidential borehole scheme, aimed at drilling thousands of water points, faces similar issues. Special adviser Paul Tungwarara's company holds the contract, with communities reporting abandoned, non-functional boreholes despite full government payment. Tungwarara also manages a veterans' loan fund and multiple other initiatives, all awarded without competitive bidding. He admitted that funds for a vendor support group were stolen by its own leaders, with no arrests made.
Critics describe these programs as a parallel patronage economy, funneling state resources through loyalists. The lack of audits and oversight enables large-scale looting under the banner of empowerment. This systematic graft is seen as funding a broader campaign to secure political loyalty and amend the constitution for a term extension. One commentator labeled the looting obscene and criminal, arguing state apparatus facilitates unsustainable theft disguised as development projects.
The presidential borehole scheme, aimed at drilling thousands of water points, faces similar issues. Special adviser Paul Tungwarara's company holds the contract, with communities reporting abandoned, non-functional boreholes despite full government payment. Tungwarara also manages a veterans' loan fund and multiple other initiatives, all awarded without competitive bidding. He admitted that funds for a vendor support group were stolen by its own leaders, with no arrests made.
Critics describe these programs as a parallel patronage economy, funneling state resources through loyalists. The lack of audits and oversight enables large-scale looting under the banner of empowerment. This systematic graft is seen as funding a broader campaign to secure political loyalty and amend the constitution for a term extension. One commentator labeled the looting obscene and criminal, arguing state apparatus facilitates unsustainable theft disguised as development projects.
