By Jane Mlambo| Political activist Jealousy Mawarire has accused President Emmerson Mnangagwa of using his unannounced visits to public hospitals as a smokescreen to justify an allegedly corrupt multi-million-dollar medical equipment deal involving a South African company.
President Mnangagwa on Monday made surprise inspections at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and Sally Mugabe Central Hospital, with state media reporting that the visits were meant to help the President “gain a clearer understanding of the challenges facing the country’s public health institutions.”
But Mawarire, a longtime critic of the Zanu PF-led administration, dismissed the visits as a public relations stunt designed to legitimize what he claims is a murky US$439 million contract with TTM Global Medical Exports, which was allegedly signed without going to tender.
“You didn’t visit the hospitals to gain a clearer understanding of anything,” Mawarire said in a scathing statement posted on X (formerly Twitter). “You visited in order to justify, as usual, the monetization of our problems.”
The outspoken activist further alleged that Mnangagwa’s office has already approved a dubious scheme spearheaded by what he described as the President’s “obese proxy,” whom he claims is pushing a controversial “presidential scheme for the provision of cancer treatment equipment.”
Mawarire also questioned the use of public funds collected through the recently introduced sugar tax, suggesting that the levy is now being abused to finance the opaque deal.
“Zvichapera hazvo manje manje,” he wrote, a Shona phrase meaning “This will come to an end soon.”
While the government has yet to respond to the allegations, the claims have sparked renewed scrutiny over transparency in government procurement and the management of public health resources in a country battling economic collapse and a crumbling healthcare system.
If confirmed, the alleged no-tender deal with TTM Global could further tarnish Mnangagwa’s administration, which has previously faced accusations of mismanaging COVID-19 funds and other healthcare-related tenders.