Former Finance minister Tendai Biti has claimed that controversial tycoon and President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s close ally Kudakwashe Tagwirei has acquired over eleven gold mines in Zimbabwe using hidden companies without the knowledge or scrutiny of Parliament.
The United States imposed sanctions against Tagwirei over allegations that he is a “notoriously corrupt Zimbabwean businessman for materially assisting senior Zimbabwean government officials involved in public corruption.”
The MDC Alliance vice president on Sunday said Tagwirei in the last three years acquired more than eleven mines without following required procedures. He added that the fuel mogul had the help of top government officials in attaining those mines.
“In the last three years, Kuda Tagwirei through two or three companies, Landela Mining and Sotic Investments which he controls, has acquired over eleven gold mines and six of them came from the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC).
“Parliament was not involved and nobody knows how much they cost. He has also acquired mines that were also owned by Mzi Khumalo,” he said on a live broadcast titled Unpacking the Pandemic of Corruption.
Biti added that the mines are hidden under a controversial mining company called Kuvimba Mine. The company recently dismissed reports that it is owned by Tagwirei.
“So these mines are now hidden in a vehicle called Kuvimba Mine. These mines include Freda Rebecca Mine, How Mine, Shamva Mine, Redwing Mine, Jena Mine and Sandawana Mine,” Biti said.
He said Tagwirei also owns chrome and nickel mines in Mashonaland Central without the knowledge of Parliament. Biti noted that there is need for a forensic audit because the money used to buy some of the shares of these mines came from treasury.
“Over and above these mines, they have also acquired Zim Alloys and Bindura Nickel Mine and again Parliament is not involved. So, public assets are being stripped without Parliament being involved.
“With Zim Alloys, as a matter of fact the money that was used to purchase those shares actually came from Treasury but we don’t know how Sakunda Holdings through Landela ended up being portrayed as the owner of those mines.
“There is a need for a forensic audit to determine the movement of resources from Treasury to Landela or Sotic yet the people of Zimbabwe are not getting or retaining these mines,” he said.
