Post #449

📺Populism, Goldand Corruption 📺 How to make it to the presidency on obscure river-restoration contracts 🇿🇼 The government of Zimbabwe has restricted by decree the list of companies which may engage in rehabilitation of rivers polluted by gold mining, according to media reports. As if by coincidence, the only item on the list is a pilot project run by the president Mnangagwa’s adviser, mogul Tempter Paul Tungwarara. ⏩ Tungwarara belongs to the breed of Zimbabwean businessmen who enrich on exclusive government contracts. The expertise of his companies, Prevail Group, is the implementation of state populism: Mnangagwa's adviser builds boreholes as part of the presidential vision to drill 35,000 of them countrywide, installs solar panels, and is developing a $500 million “Cyber City” near Harare. ⏩ True, cleaning rivers polluted by illegal mining is not as lucrative as mining itself, but such initiatives make the government look like it really cares about urgent problems, while allowing Tungwarara to get political points by showcasing his for-people projects at rallies he attends across the country. ❗️This may mean a quiet emergence of a new presidential hopeful in Zimbabwe. Although one of Zimbabwe's wealthiest menactively denies having any presidential ambitions, the image of an entrepreneur who brings technological benefits and cleans mercury from rivers may certainly help him climb the political ladder, even if he stops short of going for presidency with Mnangagwa alive. It is reported that since December the ruling Zanu-PF party has been considering Tungwarara's candidacy for the party's Central Committee. ➡️ Follow to stay informed - @devilsbelow