National

Zimbabweans outraged by Al Jazeera exposé on gold smuggling elite

Published

3 years ago

March 31, 2023

BY CHRIS MURONZI

Revelations of gold smuggling by individuals affiliated with Zimbabwean government officials and the ruling party in an Al Jazeera documentary have triggered outrage in the country.

The four-part documentary titled The Gold Mafia was filmed by Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit (I-Unit), based on dozens of undercover operations spanning three continents and thousands of documents.

It exposed how huge amounts of gold are clandestinely smuggled every month from Zimbabwe, Africa’s sixth-largest gold producer, to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, aiding money laundering through an intricate web of shell companies, fake invoices and paid-off officials.

Uebert Angel, presidential envoy and ambassador-at-large to Europe and the Americas since March 2021, was secretly filmed bragging that he could move $1.2bn easily, due to his diplomatic immunity.

Other individuals filmed or named in the documentary as being part of smuggling rings include Zimbabwe Miners Federation President Henrietta Rushwaya – believed to be the niece of President Emmerson Mnangagwa – and Kamlesh Pattni, a businessman previously involved in a gold smuggling scandal in Kenya.

Pattni, who “knighted” Robert Mugabe as King of Kings in March 2012, handing over a black gown and gold crown to the late leader, still has strong connections to the ruling party.

In October 2020, Rushwaya was arrested at the Harare airport for attempting to smuggle gold to Dubai. Her case is still in court but the National Prosecuting Authority has said there is not enough evidence for a conviction.

In Zimbabwe, the film’s revelations have caused an uproar.

Illicit trade in gold has long been estimated to cost Zimbabwe an estimated $100m every month, according to official estimates.

The country is reeling from years of economic mismanagement that have resulted in high inflation and unemployment. According to figures from the World Bank, half of the country’s estimated 16 million people live in extreme poverty – on $30 or less monthly.

There have been widespread allegations of endemic corruption impacting the economy and government critics say the documentary has once again exposed the level of graft in Zimbabwe.Offline reactions

Zimbabweans have called for swift justice against the individuals implicated in the film.

Angirayi Moyowatidhi, a 45-year-old street vendor in Harare expressed outrage at what he said was organised looting of the country’s resources.

“When we were growing up, we were told of how the colonial regime of Cecil John Rhodes to Ian Smith looted our country’s resources and externalised them to the United Kingdom. Now, we are witnessing the same processm save for the fact that this is being done by our elected Black leaders,” Moyowatidhi told Al Jazeera.

“The people who are involved in gold smuggling and breaking the country’s laws to profit from gold must be arrested no matter their stations and positions in life,” Gift Gadza, a 29-year self-employed youth in Harare, told Al Jazeera.

“Ordinary people like me are suffering while other people are living pretty from gold looting. I think we need to unite as people and protest against the looting of resources in the country,” Gadza said.

Chris Mutsvangwa, spokesman for the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union–Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), blamed the West for attempting to foment public anger through the documentary.

“The country’s detractors, who coalesced around George Soros and his Open Society Institute of Southern Africa are clearly miffed and terribly disappointed that Zimbabwe has reverted to and resurrected gold as the reference anchor of the US Dollar,” said Mutsvangwa in a statement.

“Countries under sanctions have to find ways of circumventing the sanctions,” government spokesman Nick Mangwana said in a tweet, drawing widespread criticism from users. “This may mean having to procure supplies through third parties or sell in grey market.”

Online reactions

Anger online led to the scandal becoming a trending Twitter story in the country since Friday.

“The #Aljazeeradocumentary exposes the extent of the rot at the top, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg,” Nelson Chamisa, leader of the main opposition, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) tweeted. “This clearly shows how corrupt, rotten & broken leadership has destroyed a jewel and great country. Zimbabwe is not poor, it’s just poorly governed!”

Trevor Ncube, a longtime critic of the Zimbabwean government and former publisher of South Africa’s Mail & Guardian, said Mnangagwa should have addressed the allegations already.

“Silence is not an option,” Ncube tweeted.

Some have called on Mnangagwa to fire Angel.

“Emmerson Mnangagwa is the criminal surrounding Zimbabwe. We call on all patriotic Zimbabweans to join us in our call for the President to step down. This is not about Ubert but his employer the number 1. To the Police, Soldiers this message is for you too,” Team Pachedu tweeted.

Some of those fingered in the documentary have denied the charges.

“The reality is that the Ambassador has never traded in gold or moved cash for anyone,” a statement from Angel said, challenging anyone with evidence to the contrary to come forward. “It is clear from the documentary that Ambassador Angel and his team were never shown trading gold.

“These utterances [in the documentary] were made with the aim of getting the true picture of these fake investors and it became clear that the intelligence operatives were 100% correct,” it added-AL JAZEERA

National

Zimbabwe fast-tracks approval of long-acting HIV prevention drug Lenacapavir

Published

3 days ago

November 25, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

Zimbabwe has taken a major step in the fight against HIV following the rapid approval of Lenacapavir, a groundbreaking long-acting injectable for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) authorised the drug in just 23 days, marking one of the fastest regulatory approvals in the country’s history.

The application, submitted by pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences in October, underwent an expedited review because of its public health importance. MCAZ says the fast-tracked process did not compromise scientific scrutiny, with the product subjected to a rigorous assessment of its safety, efficacy and quality.

Lenacapavir is designed for adults and adolescents weighing at least 35kg who are HIV-negative but at substantial risk of infection. Unlike traditional daily oral PrEP, the medicine is administered as a six-monthly injection, following an initiation phase that includes one injection and oral tablets on Days 1 and 2. Health authorities say this long-acting formulation could dramatically improve adherence and expand prevention options, particularly for communities where daily pill-taking is difficult.

MCAZ Director-General Richard T. Rukwata described the approval as a landmark moment in Zimbabwe’s HIV response.

“The rapid approval of Lenacapavir reflects MCAZ’s dedication to accelerating access to trusted, high-quality health products. This milestone brings new hope for HIV prevention and reinforces our commitment to safeguarding public health,” he said.

To fast-track the process, the Authority applied a regulatory reliance approach, drawing on scientific assessments from the World Health Organization’s Prequalification Programme (WHO PQ). This allowed evaluators to build on internationally recognised review processes while ensuring Zimbabwe’s own standards were met.

The introduction of Lenacapavir comes as Zimbabwe continues efforts to reduce new HIV infections, particularly among young people and key populations who face barriers to consistent PrEP use. Public health experts say the drug’s twice-yearly dosing could be a game changer in improving uptake and protection.

MCAZ says it remains committed to ensuring Zimbabweans have access to safe, effective and good-quality medical products, in line with its mandate under the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act.

National

Zimbabwe makes gains against TB

Published

7 days ago

November 21, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

The World Health Organization (WHO) data show that Zimbabwe continues to make measurable gains in its fight against tuberculosis (TB).

According to the Global Tuberculosis Report 2025, Zimbabwe’s estimated TB incidence has declined to 203 per 100,000 population, representing a 3.8 % reduction from 2023. The report states that “TB incidence in Zimbabwe has fallen to 203 per 100 000, a 3.8 % reduction from 2023.”

On treatment outcomes, the country’s overall success rate for all forms of TB has improved to 91 %, up from 89 % in 2023. The report quotes: “Treatment success for all forms of TB has improved to 91 %, up from 89 % in 2023.”

For drug-resistant TB (DR-TB), progress has also been recorded: treatment success rose from 64 % for the 2021 cohort to 68 % for the 2022 cohort. As the report notes: “treatment success for drug-resistant TB increased from 64 % for the 2021 cohort to 68 % for the 2022 cohort.”

In the critical sphere of TB‐HIV co-infection, Zimbabwe saw a drop in the co‐infection rate to 49 %, down from 51 %. The report states: “TB/HIV co-infection rates have fallen to 49 %, down from 51 %.”

Zooming out, the 2025 global report shows that across the world TB is falling again, although not yet at the pace required to meet targets. Globally, incidence declined by almost 2 % between 2023 and 2024, and deaths fell around 3 %.

However, the report warns that progress is fragile. Funding shortfalls, health-system disruptions (especially during the COVID-19 era), and the ongoing challenge of drug-resistant TB threaten to erode gains. The WHO page reminds that the 2025 edition “provides a comprehensive … assessment of the TB epidemic … at global, regional and country levels.”

For example, although more people are being diagnosed and treated than in previous years, not enough are being reached with preventive interventions, and many countries are still far from the targets set under the End TB Strategy.

National

Government extends Victoria Falls Border Post operating hours to 24 hours

Published

2 weeks ago

November 14, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

The government has officially extended the operating hours of the Victoria Falls Border Post to a full 24-hour schedule, according to an Extraordinary Government Gazette published on Thursday.

The change was announced under General Notice 2265A of 2025, issued in terms of section 41 of the Immigration Act [Chapter 4:02]. The notice states that the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage has approved the extension with immediate effect from the date of publication.

The Gazette declares:

“It is hereby declared that in terms of section 41 of the Immigration Act [Chapter 4:02], the Minister has extended the operating hours for the Victoria Falls Border Post to twenty-four (24) hours on a daily basis, with effect from the date of publication of this notice.”

The move is expected to boost tourism, trade, and regional mobility along one of Zimbabwe’s busiest tourist corridors, which connects the country to Zambia and the broader SADC region.

Stakeholders in tourism and logistics have long advocated for extended operating hours, citing increased traffic through Victoria Falls and the need to align with neighbouring countries that already run round-the-clock border operations.