03/10/2025
𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐄𝐎 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧-𝐃𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐬 - AGAIN ‼️
NetOne, Zimbabwe’s second-largest mobile operator, is at the center of the storm, with its Group Chief Executive Officer, Raphael Mushanawani, and Chief Technical Officer, Christopher Muchechemera, accused of masterminding procurement scandals that could have cost the company—and the taxpayer—tens of millions of dollars.
A confidential dossier has exposed what appears to be one of the most brazen cases of alleged corporate looting and financial mismanagement at a state-owned enterprise in recent memory.
The Microwave Radio Equipment Scandal
The allegations date back to 2024, when NetOne explored acquiring new microwave transmission equipment. Teleios (Pvt) Ltd, a relatively obscure local telecommunications firm, was invited to conduct trials.
Soon after, in early 2025, Teleios reportedly sponsored a trip for NetOne’s top brass—including Mushanawani, Muchechemera, and senior technical staff—to Romania to “assess” the equipment.
Crucially, the trip was neither sanctioned by NetOne’s Executive Committee nor officially reported on their return.
What followed was a procurement process riddled with irregularities.
Instead of routing approvals through senior procurement channels, the GCEO allegedly directed requisitions to a junior employee.
A USD 17 million deal (later reduced to USD 15 million) was pushed through with Teleios, despite competing vendors offering the same equipment for nearly half the price: USD 8 million from Tauro Panther and USD 9 million from Satewave.
When the Head of Supply Chain attempted to block the overpriced deal and suggested due diligence, he was reportedly threatened with dismissal by Mushanawani.
Strangely, once cheaper vendors emerged, the urgency to procure the equipment abruptly vanished—raising questions about the real motives behind the transaction.
A Dubious USD 11.7 Million VAS Platform Upgrade
In August 2025, NetOne’s technical team proposed an upgrade of its ZTE Value-Added Services (VAS) platforms. Teleios, newly appointed as ZTE’s distributor in Zimbabwe, again emerged as the sole player, charging an eye-watering USD 11.7 million.
Yet, procurement experts within the company raised serious doubts.
The system was already at its end of life (EOL)—meaning replacing it entirely would have been cheaper, opened up competitive bidding, and ensured longer-term value.
To make matters worse, the upgrade was not in the Annual Procurement Plan nor budgeted for.
The move drew comparisons to a recent USD 4.5 million Whale Cloud contract to upgrade NetOne’s billing system—an entire system—while the VAS subsection alone was suddenly pegged at almost three times that figure.
Duplicated Consultancy Fees
The dossier further accuses Mushanawani of pushing through unnecessary consultancy contracts during the SAP ERP implementation.
Despite NetOne already paying Farevic (Pvt) Ltd to provide consultancy and training, an additional USD 79,467.49 was reportedly splurged on another firm, Diztech—an apparent duplication of services.
ERP Chaos: From SAP to SAGE
Perhaps the most damning revelation concerns the ERP system upgrades. After the SAP system failed to deliver, Mushanawani allegedly bypassed the Executive Committee and directly engaged Lunartech Solutions, a company linked to one of his close allies.
Initially contracted for USD 257,600, the deal ballooned after a string of addendums, pushing payments past USD 1.2 million. Combined with the failed SAP system, NetOne’s ERP costs have now topped USD 4.7 million—with little to show for it.
A Culture of Fear
Beyond the financials, the dossier paints a disturbing picture of workplace intimidation. Staff who questioned irregular procurement were allegedly threatened, sidelined, or accused of sabotage.
The Head of Supply Chain, who consistently flagged concerns, is said to have been openly threatened with dismissal.
“Whenever we raise issues, we are told we are blocking progress,” one senior insider confided. “The truth is, people are afraid. If you challenge the leadership, you risk your job.”
What’s at Stake
These allegations, if proven, expose not just reckless abuse of state resources but also systemic failures in corporate governance at one of Zimbabwe’s most strategic companies. With contracts running into millions of dollars, financed partly through loans already accruing interest, the financial health of NetOne—and by extension, public funds—stands at risk.
Regulators and industry observers are now under pressure to demand an independent forensic audit into NetOne’s procurement practices.
For his part, CEO Raphael Mushanawani has not been reachable for a comment on these allegations.
But one thing is clear: with millions at stake and a culture of secrecy clouding Zimbabwe’s state enterprises, the NetOne scandal could be a litmus test for the government’s stated commitment to accountability and zero tolerance for corruption.
Credit: News Byte Zw
