Nick Mangwana defends $439 million no-tender deal for cancer equipment

The Zimbabwean government has come under intense public scrutiny following confirmation that it awarded a US$439 million cancer treatment equipment contract to a South African company without going through a public tender process.

Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana confirmed the deal in a statement posted to his verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday, 17 June 2025. The contract was awarded to TTM Global Medical Exports and covers the supply and installation of cancer treatment equipment across Zimbabwean hospitals over a four-year period. Mangwana defended the decision, arguing that Cabinet is legally empowered to make such decisions and that the deal should not be presumed corrupt simply because it bypassed public tendering.

His statement, however, appeared to confirm that no competitive bidding process was conducted, a revelation that has ignited criticism from opposition parties, civil society, and members of the public concerned about government accountability and transparency.

According to documents circulating online and consistent with Mangwana's remarks, the contract requires Zimbabwe to pay just over US$109 million annually. The government reportedly made an upfront payment of US$52.5 million in March 2025, with the remaining amount scheduled to be paid in monthly instalments of US$9,110,050 starting 30 April 2025. The same payment structure will repeat each year until the contract concludes in 2029, with all transactions to be settled in US dollars via electronic funds transfer.

The deal involves a phased rollout of cancer treatment infrastructure to various health facilities across the country. During the first six months of the project, 20 percent of the equipment is expected to be delivered and installed at major referral hospitals and provincial health centres in Harare and Bulawayo. Over the following year, deliveries will continue to other provinces including Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, and Matabeleland North. The final phase of the rollout is expected to cover district hospitals and specialised cancer centres in regions such as Midlands, Mashonaland East, and Matabeleland South.

TTM Global is tasked with providing a range of medical technology, including radiotherapy machines, chemotherapy infusion systems, diagnostic imaging devices, and patient monitoring tools. The government says the move is aimed at significantly strengthening the country's cancer care capacity, which has long suffered from underfunding and outdated infrastructure.

Despite the stated goals of the programme, critics argue that the lack of a transparent procurement process raises red flags and undermines public trust. Some observers fear that awarding multimillion-dollar contracts without competitive bidding sets a dangerous precedent that could encourage inefficiency, inflated pricing, or even corruption.

As public debate grows, calls are mounting for parliamentary oversight and full disclosure of the terms and rationale behind the decision. The controversy also revives concerns about the concentration of procurement decisions within the executive, especially in sectors involving significant public funds and urgent national needs.