Geza warns Tagwirei

Controversial businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei, a close ally of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has come under fire from war veterans, with one of their leaders, Blessed "Bombshell" Geza, accusing him of monopolizing key economic sectors for corrupt activities.

Speaking out against Tagwirei's growing influence, Geza accused the businessman of using his political connections to secure lucrative government contracts while sidelining ordinary Zimbabweans.

"Tagwirei, we are warning you, together with your colleagues. We did not go to war so that you could monopolize corrupt contracts. We are going to deal with you decisively - mark my words - and thoroughly. By the time Mnangagwa leaves power, Zimbabwe will be a shell, and this is totally unacceptable. We cannot accept that," Geza declared.

Tagwirei, whose business empire spans fuel, mining, and infrastructure projects, has not been spared from internal battles within ZANU-PF. Some ruling party factions accuse him of leveraging his ties to Mnangagwa to entrench corruption by acquiring control over key state projects.

His company, Sakunda Holdings, has been awarded high-value contracts, including the construction of the Mbudzi Interchange flyover and the management of the controversial Command Agriculture programme. He also chairs the Land Tenure Implementation Committee, further expanding his grip on government-linked business ventures.

However, war veterans like Geza believe his involvement in these sectors has been detrimental to Zimbabwe's economy, accusing him of profiteering at the expense of national development.

Tagwirei has long been a target of corruption allegations, with reports linking him to the disappearance of US$3 billion from the Ministry of Agriculture between 2017 and 2018. This scandal led to his sanctioning by the United States, which accused him of using his wealth and connections to facilitate corrupt dealings for senior government officials.

Despite these accusations, Tagwirei has maintained his position as one of Zimbabwe's most influential business figures, continuing to secure government-backed projects.

Geza, who represents a growing faction of war veterans disillusioned with Mnangagwa's administration, argued that corruption and cronyism have worsened under the president's leadership.

"Corruption in Mnangagwa's government has become a cancer in this country. Mnangagwa has continued to deploy his cronies to milk this country dry," he said.

He further warned that war veterans, who fought for Zimbabwe's independence, would not sit idly by while the economy is plundered.

"We fought for economic emancipation and the equitable distribution of resources. But, on the contrary, Mnangagwa is stopping at nothing to take everything away from the country," Geza added.

The growing frustration within the war veterans' ranks signals mounting pressure on the government as it grapples with accusations of economic mismanagement, factionalism, and worsening public discontent ahead of the 2028 elections.