By A Correspondent
HARARE – A storm is brewing over the controversial awarding of a contract to refurbish the iconic City Sports Centre in Harare to Paul Tungwarara, a special advisor to President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The deal, awarded without public tender, has raised concerns over transparency and executive interference in local governance.
Tungwarara’s company, Prevail Group, was granted the exclusive rights to renovate the City Sports Centre in what is being framed as a “strategic partnership” by City of Harare officials.
Mayor Jacob Mafume confirmed the development earlier this week and admitted that no formal tendering process was followed.
“This is a strategic partnership. It’s an ideal arrangement for the city,” Mafume said. “We need to think outside the box. The President directed us to enter into this agreement, and we obliged.”
Critics, however, say the awarding of the multimillion-dollar deal to a politically connected individual—without open bidding—undermines both transparency and the autonomy of the city council.
“This is nothing more than state capture at municipal level,” said a city official who spoke on condition of anonymity. “The mayor is openly admitting that he acted on presidential orders. What happened to procurement laws?”
Paul Tungwarara, a known business ally of Mnangagwa and influential figure within the ruling elite, has previously been linked to several high-value state-linked projects, often under murky circumstances. His latest involvement has ignited allegations of favoritism and disregard for procurement regulations.
While Mafume insists the partnership will bring much-needed investment to a dilapidated facility, residents and civic watchdogs are questioning why the deal bypassed public scrutiny.
“We deserve better. These backdoor deals rob the city of accountability,” said Patience Sibanda, a youth sports coordinator. “City Sports Centre belongs to the people, not politicians.”
As Harare grapples with deteriorating infrastructure and a public outcry over corruption, the City Sports Centre deal has become yet another flashpoint in the broader debate over governance, influence, and impunity in Zimbabwe.