Mnangagwa Acknowledges ZANU-PF Corruption

President Mnangagwa admits corruption is rampant in ZANU-PF (image source)

President Emmerson Mnangagwa admitted on 17 September that corruption has “reached alarming levels” within ZANU-PF, while urging party structures to crack down on graft linked to his own empowerment schemes, during a closed-door politburo session in Harare.

Speaking to senior cadres, President Mnangagwa warned that unchecked looting of Presidential Revolving Funds and tender commissions threaten ZANU-PF’s reputation and electoral prospects. He tasked provincial wings with compiling case studies of successful, transparent youth and women projects to restore public confidence.

President Mnangagwa did not name individuals, but officials say he alluded to suspicions that some “ED-branded” distribution units demanded up to 10 percent kickbacks from beneficiaries of agricultural implements and funding packages. A party insider confirmed that several district leaders have been recalled pending investigations.

“Corruption of any kind and excesses that alienate us from the people can never be condoned,” Mnangagwa said, invoking Article 25 of the ZANU-PF constitution.

Political analyst Dr Memory Chamisa of the University of Zimbabwe argues that Mnangagwa’s speech amounts to damage control. “Acknowledging corruption may paper over cracks, but real reform demands independent probes and sanctions against senior figures,” she says.

Since launching funding drives in 2023, the President’s schemes have disbursed over US $100 million in loans and inputs. Yet auditors flagged discrepancies in 38 percent of accounts sampled, citing missing invoices and inflated supplier claims. Observers caution that without enforced transparency, funds will continue to vanish into patronage networks.

ZANU-PF faces declining urban support, with November 2024 by-elections showing a 12 percent swing toward the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change. Voter surveys by Afrobarometer indicate that 68 percent of Zimbabweans identify corruption as their top grievance, eclipsing unemployment and service delivery concerns.

President Mnangagwa’s pledge echoes past “zero-tolerance” pronouncements from 2018 and 2021, which yielded few prosecutions. In 2022, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission investigated misuse of youth empowerment funds, but no senior party figures were charged. Critics argue that ZACC lacks autonomy and political will.

ZANU-PF Politburo tasked provincial secretaries to submit reports on scheme-related irregularities by 30 September. Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee plans to summon ministry heads and scheme administrators in October.