President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government is facing growing scrutiny over the newly constructed $88m Trabablas Interchange in Harare, with anti-corruption campaigners alleging that the project has been used to divert public funds for corrupt purposes. While the President touts the road project as a symbol of progress, critics are questioning inflated costs, the involvement of his close ally Kudakwashe Tagwirei, and a general lack of transparency surrounding the project, The Africa Report has reported.
Even the name of the interchange has become a source of public ridicule. Formerly known as Mbudzi Interchange, the project was renamed Trabablas after a cabinet committee decided to adopt Mnangagwa’s liberation war alias. Ironically, “Trabablas” is a Spanish word meaning ‘nonsense’ or ‘gibberish’, which critics say makes it an unfortunate and inappropriate choice for a national interchange.
“It is opaque in that there was no bill of quantities done to determine the true cost of the structure. There was no open tender for the project, and the tender was awarded to those close to political power,” Biti stated.
He also raised concerns about the use of International Monetary Fund (IMF) Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to finance the project, claiming that the government has failed to provide a detailed account of how these funds were utilised. “Thirdly, in 2021 the government announced that it is going to use International Monetary Fund [IMF] Special Drawing Rights [SDRs] to finance the project, but they have not published disclosure of how they used the SDR funds,” Biti explained.
Further fueling the controversy is the government’s decision to take out an $88m loan from Fossil Contractors, a move that Biti argues was illegal as it was not brought before parliament for approval. Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change legislator Edwin Mushoriwa echoed these concerns, stating, “Parliament does not know the terms of the loan agreement between the government and Fossil as required by Chapter 17 of Zimbabwe’s Constitution read together with the Public Debt Act. There is a lot of opaqueness in this loan.”
Despite repeated attempts by The Africa Report, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has not responded to these allegations. Similarly, the ministry’s permanent secretary, George Guvamatanga, has remained silent on the matter.
The official opening of the Trabablas Interchange on 30 May was a highly publicised event, intended to showcase Mnangagwa’s commitment to infrastructure development. However, political analyst Tendai Ruben Mbofana argues that a traffic interchange, particularly one plagued by corruption allegations, should not be treated as a major political achievement. “We find ourselves celebrating what is arguably a suspiciously overpriced piece of infrastructure,” Mbofana stated. He also criticised the practice of naming structures after current leaders, deeming it a sign of “personality cultism and political hero-worship.”
Mbofana further suggested that the project may be an attempt to co-opt ideas from the opposition. Modernising Zimbabwe’s urban infrastructure “was popularised by Nelson Chamisa [former opposition leader] and the MDC Alliance during the 2018 electoral campaigns. What we are witnessing may well be an appropriation of that vision without due acknowledgement,” he said.
Concerns have also emerged regarding the government’s $88m loan from Fossil (Pvt) Ltd, one of the contractors involved in the project. The loan agreement, announced in a government gazette in 2023 – two years after it was initially contracted – has raised questions about transparency and potential conflicts of interest. The loan, which matured on 6 June 2025, carries an interest rate pegged to the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) plus 5% per annum.
MP Mushoriwa argues that borrowing money from a contractor is inherently problematic. “As a general principle, you don’t borrow money from a contractor because they can continue to increase costs,” he said. “The whole issue about the $88m Fossil loan agreement lacks transparency.”
Adding to the controversy, the Zimbabwe Independent newspaper reported in February 2023 that the annual interest payments on the loan are fiscally unsustainable, potentially costing the government at least $35m over the four-year loan period.
Critics have also pointed to the alleged links between Fossil (Pvt) Ltd and businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei, a known ally of President Mnangagwa. Biti believes that Obey Chimuka, the owner of Fossil (Pvt) Ltd, is merely a proxy for Tagwirei. “Without Tagwirei, Chimuka is nothing,” Biti claims. Mbofana echoed this sentiment, stating that Fossil Contracting is associated with Tagwirei through key figures in its management, raising concerns that the company may be operating as a proxy for Tagwirei’s broader business empire.
Tawanda Majoni, an anti-corruption activist, argues that the very fact that Fossil provided the loan while also being one of the contractors involved in the project demonstrates the corrupt nature of the deal. “The mere fact that Fossil provided the loan when it is one of the three contractors in the project shows how corrupt the project deal is, as there is clear conflict of interest and vast room to manipulate prices,” Majoni said.
Adding to the concerns, several media reports have revealed that officials from the ministry of transport, communication and infrastructure development have been arrested for inflating compensation for those displaced by the interchange construction. Despite these allegations, Transport Minister Felix Mhona and Permanent Secretary Joy Makumbe have remained largely unresponsive to inquiries.
When questioned in parliament about the high cost of the Trabablas Interchange, Mhona attributed it to US sanctions on Fossil (Pvt) Ltd, claiming that this had pushed up production costs. However, critics remain unconvinced, pointing out that the Trabablas Interchange is significantly more expensive than similar projects in other African countries.
Development economist Prosper Chitambara stresses the need for strong institutions that demand accountability, noting that road infrastructure projects are often exploited by a corrupt elite. “Road infrastructure projects are critical to promote local and regional trade but are often feeding troughs for a corrupt elite,” Chitambara stated. He pointed to studies by the African Development Bank which revealed that many countries in Africa are struggling with overpricing and wastage in public procurement and investments.
As the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee awaits an audit report by the country’s auditor general, the controversy surrounding the Trabablas Interchange continues to grow, raising serious questions about transparency, accountability, and the potential for corruption within the Mnangagwa administration. The project, intended to be a symbol of progress, now risks becoming a lasting symbol of alleged corruption and mismanagement.
Follow @MyZimbabweNews
