MAZOWE – Paul Tungwarara, investment adviser to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and chairperson of Prevail Group International, is facing growing resistance from landowners in Mazowe over a controversial riverbed mining rehabilitation project.
The dispute centres on the government-backed “Presidential River Rehabilitation Programme,” for which Tungwarara’s company was awarded an exclusive contract. The initiative, initially launched as a pilot in Mazowe, is officially aimed at addressing river siltation and restoring waterways affected by mining activities.
Authorities say the programme is intended to mitigate environmental degradation, particularly through desilting rivers in Mashonaland Central and other regions. It has since been expanded nationwide, targeting areas previously subjected to intensive mining, including sites linked to foreign operators.
However, the awarding of sole rights to Prevail Group International—reportedly without a competitive bidding process—has drawn criticism from stakeholders, who argue the arrangement creates a monopoly and lacks transparency.
Landowners in Mazowe have raised concerns over the implementation of the project, alleging that it is encroaching on their land and disrupting local livelihoods. The programme has also come under scrutiny amid accusations that it may be facilitating unauthorised gold extraction from riverbeds under the guise of environmental rehabilitation.
Tungwarara has publicly maintained that he is not receiving payment for the project, a claim that has been challenged by critics who question the financial and operational structure of the initiative.
The controversy highlights broader tensions between government-led development programmes and local communities, as well as ongoing concerns over governance, transparency and resource management in Zimbabwe’s mining sector.