Zimbabwe has been thrust into yet another national scandal and this time it is about something far more valuable than just money. ZANU PF spokesperson Chris Mutsvangwa recently dropped a political bombshell during a press conference in Harare when he revealed that Zimbabwe’s gold reserves were sold to a Middle Eastern country without any payment being received. This revelation has sent shockwaves across the nation and confirms what many of us have long suspected—that our leaders are not only corrupt but also dangerously reckless with national assets.
According to Mutsvangwa, the decision to offload the gold was a desperate move to secure United States dollars during the height of sanctions imposed by Western powers. What he failed to mention, however, is that desperation is no excuse for betrayal. Desperation is no excuse for handing over the lifeblood of a struggling nation without even securing a receipt. Zimbabwe has not just lost its gold. It has been robbed of the foreign currency that could have eased inflation, paid nurses and teachers, and stocked our hospitals with essential drugs.
What makes this scandal even more appalling is the lack of transparency surrounding the deal. Mutsvangwa refused to name who authorized the transaction. He hinted vaguely that it took place during the administration of the late President Robert Mugabe and may have involved a former governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. That opens a can of worms because during that period we had several RBZ governors including Leonard Tsumba, Gideon Gono, and John Mangudya. The finance ministers during those years such as Simba Makoni and Patrick Chinamasa were also directly linked to the oversight of the Reserve Bank. But none of these individuals have been named directly and no one has been held accountable.
This culture of secrecy is part of the problem. The silence is not protection. It is complicity. The refusal to name names only fuels speculation and widens the gulf of distrust between the state and the public. Mutsvangwa’s attempt to play the patriot card by calling for silence on the matter is not just tone-deaf. It is criminal. A nation has been looted. The people have the right to know who the looters are.
The fact that the transaction involved an unnamed Arab nation adds another layer of mystery and danger. Diplomatic relations could be at stake but that cannot override the pursuit of truth and justice. International financial watchdogs like the IMF and auditing giants such as KPMG and Deloitte must now be compelled to investigate. There is no place for silence when national sovereignty is being sold for free.
What makes this even more tragic is the timing. Zimbabwe is in a state of economic collapse. Fuel shortages are common. Cash is hard to come by. Inflation is through the roof. A gold deal that could have brought in much-needed forex has instead turned into a vanishing act. The people are suffering while a few at the top benefit from secrets and shady deals.
It is not enough to call this a scandal. It is a grand theft. A heist against the people of Zimbabwe. The media must not stop digging. Activists must not stop shouting. And the international community must not turn a blind eye. Whoever took that gold without paying must be named and held accountable. And whoever in government sanctioned it must be prosecuted.
This is not just about recovering stolen gold. It is about reclaiming our dignity as a people. The citizens of Zimbabwe demand answers. We demand justice. And we will not stop until we get both.
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