By Nigel Pfunde
Harare- FRESH corruption allegations have rocked state-owned telecommunications firm Powertel, after pressure group Citizens Against Corruption (CAC) formally lodged a public complaint against Acting Managing Director Willard Nyagwande, citing serious governance failures, financial irregularities and abuse of office.
In a strongly worded statement issued on 17 March 2026, CAC National Coordinator Japhet Mangwiro accused Nyagwande’s leadership of plunging the organisation into instability, marked by executive infighting, weak internal controls and questionable procurement practices.
According to CAC, Powertel is experiencing “severe internal dysfunction” at the executive level with Nyagwande allegedly engaged in ongoing confrontations with senior management.
The organisation claims these conflicts have created a hostile working environment, undermining operational efficiency and eroding staff morale.
“The Acting Managing Director is engaged in persistent confrontations with senior management, creating an environment of hostility and instability,” CAC said in the statement.
At the centre of the complaint are allegations of financial mismanagement and weak internal controls which reportedly led to significant losses.
CAC alleges that a junior employee was able to defraud the company under circumstances that suggest possible knowledge or negligence at senior level.
The group has gone further, calling on authorities to investigate whether Nyagwande may have been an indirect beneficiary.
“These lapses point to a failure of accountability mechanisms and raise serious questions about those entrusted with safeguarding public resources,” the statement reads.
The watchdog also raised concerns about the conduct of senior executives in the Finance and Commercial departments, accusing them of negligence and failure to enforce proper oversight systems.
CAC further alleges violations of public procurement procedures within Powertel including advance payments made to suppliers without standard guarantees by suppliers to deliver goods after receiving payment and
weak verification and approval systems for high-value transactions
Such practices, the organisation argues, expose the company to corruption risks and financial abuse.
The complaint also accuses Nyagwande and senior executives of prioritising international travel with “questionable value” to the organisation, raising concerns over misuse of company resources.
CAC described this as a potential abuse of office, arguing that such expenditures may benefit individuals rather than the institution.
Another key issue highlighted is the company’s use of the “consignment stock” procurement model.
While commonly used in supply chains, CAC alleges that within Powertel it may be enabling preferential treatment of selected supplier, .limited participation despite a broad supplier base.
There are further allegations of reduced transparency and accountability.
The group has called for a thorough investigation into how the model is being applied and whether it is being exploited for corrupt gain.
CAC has formally urged the Corporate Governance Unit in the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) and the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) to intervene and investigate the allegations.
“The allegations raised are serious and require urgent attention to protect public resources and restore confidence in state institutions,” said Mangwiro.
The unfolding situation at Powertel places renewed focus on governance standards within state-linked enterprises, particularly those operating in critical infrastructure sectors.
As calls for investigation grow louder, the spotlight now turns to oversight authorities to determine whether the claims signal isolated lapses or deeper systemic issues within the organisation.
Efforts to draw a comment from Nyagwande hit a snag at the time of writing.
