Harare – Former Finance Minister Tendai Biti has launched a scathing attack on President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s “2030 agenda,” branding it a corrupt scheme designed to protect ill-gotten wealth and install known looters into positions of power within the government. Biti’s condemnation comes amidst growing speculation about Mnangagwa’s intentions to extend his rule beyond the constitutionally mandated two-term limit.
The outspoken politician’s remarks follow claims by war veteran Blessed ‘Bomshell’ Geza, who alleges that Mnangagwa’s third-term bid, dubbed “2030 agenda,” is being driven by a cabal of corrupt individuals surrounding the President. These individuals, according to Geza, include prominent businessman Kuda Tagwirei, controversial figures like Wicknell Chivayo, Obey Chimuka, and Scott Sakupwanya, as well as Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube, Finance Permanent Secretary George Guvamatanga, and former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor John Mangudya, among others.
Tagwirei’s growing influence within Zanu-PF is evident in his recent nomination by the Harare provincial leadership to assume a role in the Central Committee, one of the party’s most influential organs. This move has been interpreted by some as a clear indication of Tagwirei’s ambitions to play a more prominent role in the country’s political landscape.
Biti, however, has made it clear that he is vehemently opposed to Mnangagwa’s alleged plot to perpetuate his incumbency and the corrupt cartels that he believes are plundering Zimbabwe’s resources.
“We are totally opposed to the third term agenda and its cousin Agenda 2030. We make no apology for this,” Biti stated in a recent social media post. “We firmly believe that this is an agenda spurned by corruption and the need to protect lucre loot and ill begotten sachets.”
He further asserted his opposition to the individuals he believes are responsible for Zimbabwe’s economic woes: “We therefore stand firmly against cartels, bandits, charlatans and brigands, who have been looting Zimbabwe for decades. We object to dangerous attempts to elevate some of these looters into the country’s corridors of power.”
Biti also distanced himself and his political allies from the internal power struggles within Zanu-PF: “We are not members of Zanu PF. We refuse to be drawn in by their endless toxic factions and power struggles.”
Tagwirei has long been a controversial figure in Zimbabwe, facing accusations of leveraging his close relationship with Mnangagwa to secure lucrative government contracts and expand his influence in key sectors such as mining, fuel, agriculture, and land policy.
These allegations have raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest and the lack of transparency in government dealings.
Biti’s recent remarks echo his previous calls for Zimbabweans to unite in defence of the constitution, particularly in light of the push by some Zanu-PF members to extend Mnangagwa’s rule beyond 2028. In a recent interview, Biti elaborated on his concerns about the state of Zimbabwean politics and the economy.
When asked about his current activities after announcing a sabbatical from politics last year, Biti explained that he remains actively engaged as a lawyer, farmer, and participant in various international engagements. He also highlighted his involvement in efforts to defend the constitution against what he sees as attempts to amend it for political gain.
Addressing the argument put forward by supporters of extending Mnangagwa’s rule – that he has performed exceptionally well and deserves more time to complete his projects – Biti was scathing in his assessment.
“Mnangagwa’s leadership, since he came to power seven years ago, has been an absolute disaster,” Biti declared. “He has made people regret the removal of (Robert) Mugabe. If president Mugabe was to resurrect right now like a Lazarus, millions of people would follow him in the streets and hail him. And that is a failure of Mnangagwa’s rule.”
Biti argued that Mnangagwa had squandered an opportunity to reset Zimbabwe and create a new consensus based on inclusion and national unity. “He missed the opportunity of being the president of every Zimbabwean,” Biti stated. “He missed the opportunity to renegotiate a new consensus in the international community, a new beginning, with the international community. He missed the opportunity of a new paradigm shift, charting a new trajectory for the country.”
According to Biti, Mnangagwa instead reinforced the old order, characterized by coercion, violence, repression, and disregard for the rule of law. “Unlike Mugabe; he has anchored his rule firmly on corruption and extraction,” Biti asserted.
Responding to Mnangagwa’s recent claim that he has no connections with Wicknell Chivayo, whom he described as simply a philanthropist, Biti dismissed the assertion and pointed to the numerous individuals who have allegedly benefited from government tenders under Mnangagwa’s rule.
“I don’t want to talk about an individual,” Biti said. “All I can say is that, as I have already said, that under the second republic, a symbiotic relationship has been created with cartels, with runners, with racketeers, with criminals. Those criminals have invaded the State House. They go there without appointment, openly and brazenly. And that is bringing the state into disrepute. That is bringing the republic into disrepute. That is bringing Zimbabwe into disrepute.”
Biti contrasted Mnangagwa’s rule with that of his predecessor, Robert Mugabe, noting that while both leaders prioritized the interests of a select few and Zanu-PF, Mugabe possessed a social base, elasticity, and a conscience.
“Mugabe had a social base, he had elasticity, a conscience,” Biti explained. “I sat in the Cabinet and many times he would say: but where are our people? But the biggest difference between Mugabe and Mnangagwa’s regime has been levels of unmitigated corruption, of extraction. The level of racketeering is shocking. You know, the checks and balances in the system have collapsed.”
Biti specifically criticized Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube and Finance Permanent Secretary George Guvamatanga, accusing them of turning the Ministry of Finance into a “crime scene” by bypassing tender processes, parliamentary approval, and budgetary oversight.
“George Guvamatanga and Mthuli Ncube have reduced the Ministry of Finance to a crime scene, without tenders, without parliamentary approval, without budgetary approval, Mugabe wouldn’t have allowed that,” Biti asserted.
He further accused Mnangagwa of reducing the country to a “crude ethnic expression” and lamented the fact that Mnangagwa has become so unpopular in a relatively short period of time that he now makes Mugabe “look like an angel.”
When asked to identify Mnangagwa’s greatest failure, Biti was unequivocal: “Corruption.”
He pointed to Zimbabwe’s declining ranking in Transparency International’s corruption index and cited several examples of alleged corruption, including the Mutapa Fund, the privatization of title deeds, and the exorbitant cost of a durawall at State House.
“The second republic is presiding over unprecedented corruption that has taken place in this country since 1923,” Biti declared.
He expressed particular concern about the Mutapa Fund, which he described as an opaque entity that controls a vast array of state-owned enterprises and allows for the sale of public assets without parliamentary scrutiny or due diligence.
Biti also criticized the government’s land tenure system implementation, arguing that it is an illegal setup that reverses the land reform programme and benefits a select few.
“The people who were given title deeds on December 3 at Precabe Farm are the fat cats that own huge tracts of land under the A1 scheme,” Biti claimed. “So this is about looting and reversing the land reform programme. Mugabe turned in his grave. Joshua Nkomo is turning in his grave.”
Addressing the legal arguments surrounding the possibility of extending Mnangagwa’s rule to 2030 without a referendum, Biti dismissed the notion as absurd.
“It is not possible,” Biti stated emphatically. “The constitution is very clear: Any extension of time for any office requires a referendum.”
He argued that any attempt to circumvent the constitutional requirement for a referendum would be a dishonest and mendacious attempt to cling to power.
In light of these concerns, Biti revealed that he is working with partners across the political spectrum to defend the constitution and prevent the extension of Mnangagwa’s term.
“I think it’s very important that we form a platform to defend the constitution,” Biti concluded. “So I hope Zimbabweans can come together to form this forum of platform in defense of the constitution and I hope all constitutional defenders can join hands to fight in this important battle.”
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