By James Gwati-The late President Robert Mugabe must be turning in his grave as Emmerson Mnangagwa welcomes criminals, fraudsters, and economic saboteurs into the State House—once the symbolic seat of power and governance.

Once hailed as a liberator from Mugabe’s long rule, Mnangagwa has instead entrenched corruption, surrounded himself with controversial business figures, and allowed his family to capture the nation’s wealth.

The so-called “New Dispensation” has become nothing more than a front for organized looting.

Today, State House is no longer a place of statesmanship but a meeting ground for looters, cartels, and dubious businessmen with deep pockets and political connections.

Among Mnangagwa’s closest allies are convicted fraudsters, questionable businessmen, and tenderpreneurs who have used state contracts to enrich themselves at the expense of the suffering masses.

Mnangagwa’s Criminal Cartel

Some of the most controversial figures who now enjoy direct access to the presidency include:

• Kuda Tagwirei – The notorious fuel mogul and Sakunda Holdings owner, who has been sanctioned by the U.S. for his role in state capture. His business empire flourished under Mnangagwa’s rule, securing lucrative contracts while ordinary Zimbabweans struggle with fuel shortages and economic collapse.
• Wicknell Chivhayo – A convicted fraudster who has been awarded multi-million-dollar government tenders despite his shady business dealings. Chivhayo is often seen flaunting his wealth, hosting extravagant parties, and boasting about his ties to the president.
• Mike Chimombe & Moses Mpofu – The two businessmen are currently at the center of a $40 million corruption scandal involving a botched Presidential Goat Scheme. 
• Delish Nguwaya – A controversial businessman linked to shady government deals, including the Drax COVID-19 medical supply scandal. Instead of facing justice, Nguwaya enjoys unfettered access to Mnangagwa and his family.
• Maxwell Chikumbutso – Another controversial figure who has made headlines for his supposed groundbreaking inventions, despite questions about the credibility of his work. An armed robber who is currently on bail, he, too, has been given an audience with Mnangagwa at State House.

Mnangagwa’s sons have also become kingpins in Zimbabwe’s illicit economy, monopolizing the mining sector and extending their influence over key industries.

This new elite, born out of corruption and state patronage, is bleeding the country dry while the ordinary citizen struggles to make ends meet.

A Revolution Betrayed

Yet, Zimbabwe’s history tells a different story—one of a struggle against oppression, of ideals that once inspired hope. 

In the 1970s, Robert Mugabe and Edgar Tekere walked side by side, symbols of the liberation movement. 

Tekere, ever the loyal revolutionary, carried Mugabe’s briefcase—perhaps filled with speeches, strategy papers, and the blueprints for a free Zimbabwe.

Their mission was clear: to dismantle white minority rule and establish an independent nation.

Mugabe’s early years in power reflected this revolutionary zeal. 

His government expanded education, health care, and infrastructure, making Zimbabwe one of Africa’s most literate nations. 

However, power consumed him.

Over time, his hunger for control led to dictatorship, economic collapse, and political violence.

Hyperinflation ravaged the country, millions fled, and opposition voices were brutally silenced.

Mnangagwa, once Mugabe’s enforcer, promised a new era of democracy and prosperity when he seized power in 2017.

Instead, he has embraced an even darker path—one defined by blatant militarization, deepening corruption, and the outright looting of state resources.

Unlike Mugabe, who at least sought to maintain a semblance of legitimacy, Mnangagwa’s Zimbabwe operates like a mafia state. 

The revolutionary ideals that once united Zimbabwe’s freedom fighters have been replaced by greed, betrayal, and self-enrichment.

A Struggle for True Liberation

The image of Tekere carrying Mugabe’s briefcase once symbolized hope for a better Zimbabwe. 

Today, that hope is long gone. 

The State House, which once represented leadership and governance, has been turned into a playground for the corrupt.

Mnangagwa’s Zimbabwe is no longer a nation built on the principles of liberation—it is a fiefdom for thugs, where loyalty to the ruling elite is rewarded, and the suffering masses are ignored.

The struggle for Zimbabwe’s freedom is far from over. 

But this time, it is not against colonial rule—it is against a new class of oppressors who have hijacked the revolution for their own gain.