ZIMBABWE ELECTORAL TENDER SCANDAL EXPOSES $100 MILLION CORRUPTION WEB

A newly leaked audio has set off shockwaves in Zimbabwe, reigniting outrage over a massive $100 million tender scandal linked to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec). The explosive audio captures a furious exchange between controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his former associate, Mike Chimombe. Their bitter fallout over the spoils of a shady election deal has brought fresh scrutiny to a corrupt network allegedly protected by political power.

The tender in question was awarded in February 2023 to South African printing firm Ren-Form, just months ahead of Zimbabwe’s controversial general elections in August. Officially, the deal was for election materials. Unofficially, it was a money machine. The centerpiece was a $40 million payment, but the total package soared beyond $100 million.

Chivayo, Chimombe, and another associate, Moses Mpofu, acted as middlemen. But as the cash started flowing in March 2023, so did the knives. The leaked audio lays bare their mutual accusations of deceit and financial betrayal. Each man blames the other for stealing and manipulating the deal for personal gain.

What’s even more alarming is Chivayo’s open bragging—captured in a separate earlier recording—about his close ties to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his ability to manipulate government decisions. In that clip, Chivayo boasts of having Mnangagwa “in his grip” and names high-ranking officials like Zec chairperson Priscilla Chigumba, CIO Director-General Isaac Moyo, and gold dealer Pedzisayi “Scott” Sakupwanya as part of his power web.

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) is now investigating the scandal. All three businessmen—Chivayo, Chimombe, and Mpofu—face serious charges of fraud and money laundering. Chimombe and Mpofu are already jailed over another murky case: the $88 million Presidential Goats Scheme. That program, meant to support rural farmers, turned out to be another suspected cash siphon for the elite.

This isn’t just about dirty money and greedy businessmen. It’s about the future of democracy in Zimbabwe. The fact that this deal was linked to Zec—the very body tasked with running elections fairly—has cast a dark shadow over the integrity of the country’s electoral process.

Zec’s independence has long been questioned, but these new revelations confirm fears that the institution may be deeply compromised. When the very people trusted to deliver free and fair elections are accused of pocketing millions through corrupt tenders, public trust collapses. And when the accused are protected by those in the highest office, it becomes clear that the system is rigged from the top down.

The NewsHawks, the investigative outlet that has led the charge in exposing this scandal, promises more revelations in the coming weeks. More officials may be implicated. More audio may leak. More rot may be uncovered.

What happens next matters. If the government and the justice system sweep this under the rug, it will send a loud message: corruption wins, and elections are for sale. But if there is accountability—if the accused are prosecuted without fear or favor—it could mark a turning point in Zimbabwe’s fight for clean governance.

Right now, the people of Zimbabwe are watching. So is the international community. The integrity of the next election—and the very soul of Zimbabwe’s democracy—hang in the balance. Will this scandal finally spark real change? Or will it be just another page in the country’s long story of betrayal by those in power?

As Zimbabwe stares into the storm of corruption, one thing is clear: justice delayed is democracy denied.