NetOne in fresh internal corruption allegations

Three senior executives at state-owned NetOne Cellular are facing internal allegations of corrupt procurement practices, following the recent arrest of the company's chief executive, Raphael Mushanawani, on separate fraud charges.

Sources within the company allege that Marketing Executive Catherine Gijima, Head of Procurement Bornface Chidzodzo, and Chief Commercial Officer Learnmore Musunda have engaged in irregular procurement activities. These allegations have emerged amid a boardroom power struggle between Mushanawani and Musunda, who is said to be eyeing the CEO position. Musunda denies trying to tarnish Mushanawani's reputation to prevent a contract renewal.

The whistleblowers claim that Gijima repeatedly engaged an unregistered supplier, Brunok Investments, to erect billboards across Manicaland, Masvingo, Zvishavane, and Gokwe without following proper tender procedures. Sources say the contracts were arranged verbally, bypassing the mandatory competitive tender process, which exposes NetOne to significant financial risk.

Standard parastatal procurement protocols require an internal memo, multiple quotations, and awarding contracts to the lowest bidder based on price, capacity, and quality. However, insiders report that Brunok Investments began work before any official paperwork was initiated.

The allegations have prompted calls for investigations by NetOne management and the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) to ensure the integrity of the state-owned enterprise.

When approached, Gijima declined to comment, stating the matter falls under the procurement department. Chidzodzo said he was unaware of the specifics since the process was handled by junior staff. Musunda denied involvement in the CEO's fraud case.

Mushanawani, who was arrested over US$1.2 million fraud charges and released on bail after two days in ZACC custody, continues to enjoy support from the NetOne board. However, the high-profile boardroom feud has exposed longstanding governance and corruption challenges at the telecommunications parastatal.

This latest controversy highlights ongoing concerns over financial accountability and operational transparency at NetOne, which has faced repeated boardroom clashes and irregular practices over the years.