HARARE – Fresh allegations of corruption have surfaced regarding the approval process for a mobile phone licence involving IMC Communications Chief Executive Denny Marandure, the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ), and senior government officials.
According to sources, Marandure—whose company is owned by ProMax Chigananda and controversial businessman Wicknell Chivhayo, a figure believed to be a proxy for Zimbabwe’s First Family—allegedly colluded with ICT Minister Tatenda Mavetera and POTRAZ officials to expedite the acquisition of the licence.
A source within the telecommunications industry claims Marandure has already secured a data licence from POTRAZ under questionable circumstances.
Allegations suggest questionable actions of POTRAZ Director General Dr Gift Machengete, allowing IMC to obtain the licence within a few days, bypassing standard regulatory procedures.
“The data licence was processed unusually fast. It did not go through the normal vetting stages, and insiders believe a bribe facilitated this,” a source familiar with the situation revealed.
The allegations intensify when it comes to the mobile phone licence, with reports indicating that POTRAZ executives have agreed to a US$10 million bribe in exchange for authorising the licence. Additionally, Minister Mavetera is alleged to have been promised a separate US$5 million incentive to speed up the process within the next two weeks.
A well-placed insider claims Mavetera was overheard telling Marandure, “This is our bonus. Once President Emmerson Mnangagwa leaves office, we could be left with nothing, so we must secure our future now.”
BRICK BY BRICK…towards a fully DIGITALISED, upper-middle income economy by 2030.
Yesterday, we had the GREATEST PLEASURE of hosting the Hon. Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, Hon Tatenda Mavetera, who officially opened our STATE-OF-THE-ART, Head Office of IMC… pic.twitter.com/2P1DXw3bkv
— sir_wicknell. (@wicknellchivayo) March 25, 2025
The revelations have sparked widespread condemnation from political activists and opposition groups, who see the allegations as another example of deep-seated corruption in Zimbabwe. Frustration over alleged government mismanagement continues to mount, with increasing calls for mass protests on March 31st.
Efforts to obtain comments from Marandure, Chivhayo, Mavetera, and Dr Machengete were unsuccessful at the time of publishing. Meanwhile, anti-corruption watchdogs have called for an urgent investigation into the matter, stressing the need for transparency and accountability in the telecommunications sector.
As public pressure builds, it remains to be seen whether authorities will act on the allegations or if this controversy will be yet another instance of high-profile corruption slipping through the cracks.
