Shadowy US$437.28M Cancer Contract Haunts Zimbabwe

ZimNow Reporter

A massive US$437.28 million cancer treatment equipment contract, awarded without public tender to a South African firm linked to Wicknell Chivayo, is igniting a firestorm of controversy in Zimbabwe.

Critics are decrying the deal as deeply corrupt and a stark illustration of the government's disregard for transparent public procurement.

Signed in March 2025 between the Office of the President and Cabinet (represented by Chief Secretary Martin Rushwaya) and TTM Global Medical Exports (Pty) Ltd (whose CEO is Rouxne Styger), the agreement aims to equip government hospitals to tackle Zimbabwe's 8,500 annual new cancer diagnoses. Funding is partially earmarked from a new sugar surtax (Statutory Instrument 16 of 2024).

The terms commit Zimbabwe to annual payments of over US$109 million for four years, starting with a US$52.5 million deposit and subsequent monthly installments of over US$9.1 million. Equipment delivery is phased, beginning with major referral hospitals within six months.

Chivayo's Undisclosed Hand Raises Red Flags

The contract's clandestine nature has raised immediate suspicions. Former MP Fadzayi Mahere's research reportedly exposed Chivayo as the owner of TTM Global Medical Exports, prompting her to demand answers from government spokesperson Nick Mangwana. Mahere pointedly questioned the lack of a public tender and the erosion of public trust, calling the system "a mess."

"Scam" Accusations and a "Window Dressing" Hospital Tour

Political commentator Jealousy Mawarire bluntly labeled the deal a "scam" and a "heist," accusing Chief Secretary Rushwaya and President Emmerson Mnangagwa of orchestrating the alleged corruption by circumventing tender procedures. Adding to the controversy, Mnangagwa's unannounced visit to Harare hospitals and a Natpharm warehouse — two months after the contract's signing — was dismissed by Mawarire as a "poor window dressing gimmick."

Government's Defense and Chivayo's History

Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana defended the executive, stating that Cabinet decisions are made "within the law" and shouldn't be presumed corrupt due to their collective nature.

However, Chivayo's past includes significant financial controversies. A South African Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) report recently revealed he received over R800 million (US$41.9 million) from a R1.1 billion (US$61.1 million) payment made by Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Finance to Ren-Form CC for 2023 election supplies. The bulk of this money was reportedly transferred to Chivayo’s companies. This week, Chivayo notably pledged a US$1 million donation to Mnangagwa's foundation as a Father's Day gift, further fanning public debate.