HARARE — President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s reported business links with United Family International Church founder Emmanuel Makandiwa have come under renewed scrutiny after the President pledged US$2 million towards the construction of the church’s planned 10,000-seater facility in Harare.
Makandiwa announced the pledge during a live Sunday service at UFIC’s Basilica in Chitungwiza, saying Mnangagwa had personally committed the money and instructed him to begin construction and submit quotations for the required materials.
According to Makandiwa, the President told him to proceed with the project and promised to meet the US$2 million cost from his personal resources.
The pledge has placed a new spotlight on the relationship between the President and the prominent Pentecostal preacher, particularly amid allegations that the two have commercial interests linked to Zimbabwe’s lucrative gold-mining and processing industry.
Claims have circulated that Mnangagwa and Makandiwa are business partners with interests connected to gold operations in Shamva, where the President is alleged to have mining interests, while Makandiwa-linked Havillah Gold has been associated with gold-processing activities.
If substantiated, such commercial links would give the President’s contribution to the church project an additional business dimension, rather than representing simply a political or philanthropic relationship.
However, the alleged ownership and partnership arrangements have not been independently established in the public record, and neither the President nor Makandiwa has publicly confirmed the specific commercial relationship alleged between them.
The reported partnership claims come against the backdrop of Zimbabwe’s gold sector, where ownership structures, mining concessions and processing operations have frequently attracted scrutiny because of the country’s substantial mineral wealth.
US$3 million pledged
Makandiwa’s announcement follows a US$1 million contribution to the church project from businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his wife.
The combined publicly announced commitments from Mnangagwa and the Chivayos therefore amount to US$3 million.
Makandiwa also acknowledged three luxury vehicles presented to him and his wife, Ruth, by the Chivayos, describing the gifts as an anniversary present. The vehicles were identified as a 2026 Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge facelift, a 2026 Mercedes-AMG G63 G-Wagon and a 2026 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600.
The scale of the financial commitments and luxury gifts has intensified questions about the increasingly close relationships between Zimbabwe’s political leadership, wealthy business figures and influential religious personalities.
For UFIC, the immediate objective is the construction of the new Harare church, which is expected to accommodate approximately 10,000 worshippers.
Makandiwa said Mnangagwa had effectively given the project the green light by instructing him to begin sourcing construction materials.
Political and commercial connections
The President’s relationship with Makandiwa has previously attracted public attention because of the preacher’s access to senior political and business circles.
The latest development adds another layer to that relationship, with the US$2 million commitment being described by Makandiwa as a personal contribution rather than a government-funded project.
UFIC spokesperson Pastor Prime Kufakunesu welcomed the President’s support and said the church was grateful for the contribution.
“This is beyond what words can explain. You saw how the people rejoiced; it shows their joy and gratitude for what the First Family has done for us as a church,” Kufakunesu said.
Kufakunesu, who was appointed to the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe board by Mnangagwa last week, said the President’s contribution should encourage additional supporters to participate in the project.
“The door is still open for all those who would like to partner with the project to put their hands where the President of the nation already has,” he said.
The reported commercial links between Mnangagwa and Makandiwa, however, raise questions beyond the church construction project.
If the two are indeed business partners in mining or mineral processing, the nature of their interests, corporate structures, beneficial ownership arrangements and any government-related dealings would become matters of significant public interest given Mnangagwa’s position as head of state.
For now, the alleged business partnership remains a claim requiring documentary verification.
What is established is that Mnangagwa has, according to Makandiwa, pledged US$2 million of his personal money towards the new UFIC complex, while Chivayo and his wife have contributed a further US$1 million.
The church project has consequently become a striking example of the financial relationships linking Zimbabwe’s political, religious and business elites — and has brought renewed attention to the question of how those relationships intersect with the country’s valuable mining economy.
