Parirenyatwa Makeover or Political Smoke Screen? The Truth Behind the Belarus Agreement.
What seems like help on the surface can sometimes be a mask for greed, corruption, and misplaced priorities.
During President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s recent state visit to Belarus, a bilateral agreement was signed for the renovation of Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare. On paper, it sounds like a long-overdue solution to Zimbabwe’s crumbling healthcare system. But let’s be honest, this deal is not as noble as it’s being made to appear.
The truth is, this agreement raises far more questions than answers.
Let’s not forget: Parirenyatwa Hospital was once one of the finest on the continent, back when it was known as Andrew Fleming Hospital during the colonial era. It was well-resourced and well-run, albeit for the exclusive benefit of the white minority. Today, the same hospital lies in shambles. Ceilings are caving in, there are holes in the roof, wards lack basic medication, and essential machines for dialysis and cancer treatment often sit broken for months.
In this context, the Belarus deal might look like a lifeline. But let’s stop and ask the obvious question:
Why do we need Belarus to renovate our hospitals?
Zimbabwe is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of natural resources, gold, diamonds, platinum, lithium, chrome, coal, the list goes on. Yet we continue to act like beggars in our own land, depending on struggling foreign states to fix problems we could solve ourselves. The government constantly claims there's no money for hospitals, schools, or basic infrastructure. Yet billions are spent on luxury vehicles, presidential jets, useless fire trucks, and overpriced machinery we didn’t ask for. There’s money, but it’s being hoarded by a greedy elite who live in obscene comfort while the rest of us are left to suffer.
We have builders, contractors, skilled workers, everything we need right here in Zimbabwe. But the government refuses to empower our own people. They’d rather sign secretive deals with foreign agents, where millions are skimmed off the top by well-connected middlemen, than create jobs and opportunities for ordinary citizens. Just look at what happened with the infamous Belarus fire tender deal. Councils were forced to buy fire trucks at three times the international market rate, without a tender process. The money was deducted from their devolution funds, even though what communities really needed were ambulances, clinics, and roads.
Who benefited? Certainly not the people. Just a handful of politically connected individuals and foreign companies, while local authorities and citizens were left short-changed.
Even the recent hospital renovation plan focuses only on Parirenyatwa. What about other collapsing institutions, Mpilo, Sally Mugabe Hospital, or rural clinics in Muzarabani and Binga? This selective focus exposes the deal for what it likely is: a symbolic, politically convenient arrangement, not a real plan to uplift public healthcare. And let’s not ignore the involvement of characters like Alexander Zingman, a close associate of Mnangagwa who has previously been involved in shady mining, agriculture, and procurement deals with Zimbabwe. Investigations by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) show how these partnerships often involve offshore companies, inflated prices, and zero transparency.
The recent Wicknell Chivayo scandal is another red flag. Over US$44 million meant for election materials was allegedly funneled into his business accounts, money that could have built hospitals, paid doctors, or fixed broken machines. Instead, it disappeared into private pockets, while the government stays silent.
The problem in Zimbabwe isn’t a lack of resources. It’s a lack of will. A lack of integrity. A culture of corruption and greed.
If the government can deploy riot police within minutes to stop peaceful protests or silence critics, why can’t they use the same urgency to clamp down on corruption, enforce accountability, and redirect looted funds into public service? We don't need flashy deals with Belarus. We don’t need fake ribbon-cutting ceremonies and rigged tenders. We need leadership that prioritizes the people over profits. We need our own wealth to benefit our own people.
Renovating Parirenyatwa is necessary, but it should be done with local workers, local expertise, and local funds. Not through foreign dependency, murky contracts, and political grandstanding.
Zimbabwe deserves better. And we must demand better.