Tagwirei mocks 'foolish' Zimbabweans who have not won tenders

Prominent businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei ignited controversy on Wednesday after declaring that Zimbabweans who have not secured government tenders are "foolish" - effectively labelling the vast majority of citizens as lacking business acumen.

Tagwirei, speaking at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Bulawayo, launched a passionate defence of his own record amid accusations of being a "tenderpreneur" - a term often used to criticise politically connected elites who benefit from government contracts through questionable or corrupt practices.

"If you're not a tenderpreneur, you're foolish," Tagwirei told a stunned audience. "The biggest buyer or seller in this country is government, so if you don't want to get your tender from the biggest buyer and biggest seller, where are you going to get your business from?

"Anyone who tells you that you must not get tenders is foolish. You must actually strive to get a tender from government."

Tagwirei, who heads Sakunda Holdings, has amassed massive wealth through billion-dollar public contracts, notably the controversial Command Agriculture programme, which critics say was not subjected to competitive tender processes. The programme was widely blamed for triggering currency collapse and inflation after Treasury Bills worth billions were issued to Sakunda.

The United States and United Kingdom have since imposed sanctions on Tagwirei and his affiliated companies, accusing him of exploiting political connections for personal enrichment. The U.S. Treasury said Tagwirei had "utilised his relationships with high-level Zimbabwean officials to gain state contracts and receive favoured access to hard currency, including U.S. dollars," while rewarding politicians with luxury items in return.

Despite this, Tagwirei doubled down on his stance in Bulawayo, dismissing the term "tenderpreneur" as a racist invention.

"The word ‘tenderpreneur' was coined by white people to discourage black people from accessing government business," he claimed.

The remarks sparked immediate backlash, with economists, business leaders, and civil society figures condemning the comments as elitist, tone-deaf, and dismissive of the country's struggling entrepreneurs.

"Tenderpreneurship is not the problem. The problem is opaque procurement systems and crony capitalism," said businessman Kuda Musasiwa. "An equitable tendering process is what Zimbabwe needs, not a closed system where contracts go to companies with no offices - only hotel room addresses."

Economist Tinashe Murapata said Tagwirei's comments showed "a fundamental misunderstanding of leadership."

"Command Agriculture never went to tender. The treasury bills he was issued were meant to support the economy but ended up enriching a few, while ordinary Zimbabweans lost their savings to inflation," Murapata said. "It is these same savings, belonging to the very people he now mocks as ‘foolish', that funded his windfall."

Tagwirei, recently appointed to the Zanu PF central committee, is increasingly viewed as a powerful political actor, with speculation swirling that he harbours ambitions for higher office. His comments, critics say, reflect an alarming detachment from the struggles of ordinary citizens and the ideals of fair and transparent governance.

Despite the criticism, Tagwirei remains one of Zimbabwe's most influential businessmen, with government contracts in sectors ranging from agriculture and energy to health and road construction.

His remarks come at a time when public trust in the country's procurement systems is at an all-time low, with concerns over corruption, lack of competition, and the marginalisation of small and medium enterprises dominating national discourse.

In the wake of his comments, calls are growing for reform of Zimbabwe's public procurement framework to ensure transparency, inclusivity, and accountability - and to prevent political patronage from dominating national business opportunities.