Tafadzwa Musarara

In 2021, he is mentioned on p26 Cartel Power Dynamics in Zimbabwe under the Case Study 3 The Agriculture Cartels.

Resource Exploitation Watch

Musarara is the chairperson of the local activist group, Resource Exploitation Watch, which he founded.

Opposition to the #ThisFlag

In May 2016, Tafadzwa Musarara was part of a panel on Radio Programme called The Platform hosted by Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa, and on the program came out in opposition of the ThisFlag Campaign. He argued that the campaign's founder, Evan Mawarire was misguided to push a campaign that implored politicians to be responsible leaders, because Mawarire himself didn't have solutions to offer besides.

Parirenyatwa later denied that she had invited Musarara to the show.^[1]

This prompted many Zimbabweans online to dig out Musarara's apparent history and several news articles the following days accused him of being a "Zanu-PF apologist". Some even went further to allege that Musarara was a "fraudster, rapist and woman beater".^[2]

Politics

In 2013, Tafadzwa Musarara was a member in the 21st February Movement national fundraising committee tasked with raising funds for Robert Mugabe's birthday celebrations.^[3] Musarara lost a Zanu PF primary election in 2018.^[4]

Zanu-PF Fundraising Committee Appointment

On 28 July 2021, Musarara was named as part of the Resource Mobilisation Committee which was appointed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to raise funds for Zanu-PF’s activities including preparing for the 2023 elections. The committee was chaired by Phillip Chiyangwa. Other members of the committee apart from Tafadzwa Musarara were Pedzai Sakupwanya, Zodwa Mkandla, Antony Pote and Evaristo Mudhikwa.^[5]

Events

Grain Marketing Board Job

In November 2013, Musarara was on the list of people selected for the General Manager position at Grain Marketing Board (GMB) to replace Albert Mandizha.

Among other candidates who were vying for the position were former Cotton Company of Zimbabwe managing director, David Mashingaidze and Tobacco Research Board chairperson, Millicent Mombeshora.^[6]

US$28 Million Controversy

In 2020, Justice Mayor Wadyajena revealed that Tafadzwa Musarara received US$28.2 million of public funds allegedly for purchasing and importing wheat/grain which was never delivered. Musarara allegedly received the funds between 2017 and 2019.

Musarara admitted to the Lands, Agriculture, Water and Climate Portfolio committee led by Justice Mayor Wadyajena that the US$26,2 million he received from the RBZ ended up in a bank account belonging to one of his firms, Drotsky, but was used to purchase wheat for the 14 wheat millers and repair Grain Marketing Board silos. He, however, failed to furnish the committee with proof that he purchased the wheat with the money. He also could not provide evidence that the other sum was used to repair the silos.

Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement said Musarara notified it that GMAZ had imported wheat valued at US$26.2 million yet RBZ advised and availed documents to the committee that the accessed funds totalled US$28.2 million. The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) also wrote to the committee and clearly stated that for a period between January 2018 and May 2020, GMAZ did not import any wheat into Zimbabwe.

Zimra further advised the committee that for a period between January 2018 and May 2020, Drotsky owned by Musarara, imported wheat totalling US$24.2 million into Zimbabwe but Tafadzwa Musarara had advised the committee that his private entity, Drotsky, was in the business of importing its own wheat like other millers and when asked to provide evidence in any form that the US$24.2 million belonged to GMAZ’s RBZ funds, he failed to provide the evidence and also failed to provide evidence of the authority by regulatory authorities to use third parties.

Appearing before Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement, Musarara said he was forced to intervene and avert a national bread shortage and used his personal funds to import wheat after the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe failed to avail the funds on time. He denied any wrongdoing in importing the wheat saying everything was above board.

Masarara said:

"We could not raise letters of credit upfront or any bankable instrument for the wheat to come, but I assisted a situation that could have resulted in an unprecedented bread shortage in the country that time by agreeing to have the goods come through me. So it was a credit line that came to GMAZ and it kept the economy afloat. We will continue to do so because we did not break any law. I used my net capital to bring the wheat into the country. Eight companies were involved in this including my own company under my name and it was paid for. The wheat arrived. Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe acknowledged that they received money from GMAZ and remitted it to London. The money never went to Drostky’s account. We complied with RBZ regulations. The accounts that remitted these funds are still functioning. We are in good standing in terms of our accounts"

Musarara also accused Wadyajena of being “unparliamentary and taking issues too personal”. Musarara who had brought his lawyer Lewis Uriri to parliament, threatened to walk out after Wadyajena objected to the presence of the legal practitioner. This was despite Musarara receiving authority from Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda to have legal representation. Wadyajena dismissed claims by Musarara that he was taking the portfolio committee’s hearing personal.^[7][8][9][4]

US$ 160 000 Motor Vehicle Case

In March 2022, Musarara won the US$ 160 000 motor vehicle case against the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) after the High Court delivered a ruling in his favour.

The High Court struck down a section of the Customs and Excise Act for being unconstitutional.

Tafadzwa Musarara had challenged the validity of section 192 of the Customs and Excise Act which the court ruled out as unconstitutional.

He cited Minister of Finance and Economic Development Mthuli Ncube and Zimra as the first and second respondents respectively.

He had lost his new top of the range vehicle, a Mercedes Benz G63 AMG worth US$160 000 to Zimra after he had purchased and fully paid for it from a car dealer.

The vehicle was confiscated by Zimra in December 2019. This was despite the fact that he had explained he was not aware of the outstanding duty payments between Zimra and the seller, Clemio Kahuni.

Musarara complained that the confiscation was unconstitutional because Kahuni had made him believe that he had paid the duty.

High Court judge Justice Webster Chinamhora upheld his argument ruling that going forward, Zimra must allow any buyer of improperly cleared goods to make representations before it is allowed to enforce payment of customs duty by buyers.^[10]

Personal Life

In May 2016, Musarara was in a civil dispute with a woman called Cynthia Wozhele who filed an application at the Civil Court under case number M900/16, where she accused Musarara of neglecting his child. Wozhele was demanding maintenance for a child, whose father, she claimed, was Musarara. Musarara denied paternity and request a DNA test to be carried out which the courts complied.^[11]

References