PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa’s advisor Paul Tungwarara has, through Cabinet, been awarded the sole licence to rehabilitate rivers damaged by mining activities.

The directive which was been interpreted as preferential treatment by political commentator Jealousy Mawarire, has raised fresh allegations of State capture and corruption.

According to a circular sent to various government departments and shared on X by Mawarire, Prevail Group of Companies which is owned by Tungwarara, will have the sole mandate to rehabilitate rivers, with Muroodzi River being the prototype.

The circular also emphasises on a continued ban on alluvial gold mining.

“The only company that has been given the greenlight to undertake river rehabilitation, as a prototype, is Prevail Group of Companies, at Muroodzi River in Mashonaland,” reads the circular sent to all ministers and State security agencies, including the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) and military heads.

Although the prototype is not supposed to go beyond Muroodzi River, Mawarire alleges that the directive has been presented as a boon for environmental rehabilitation, yet it is targeting alluvial gold miners, mainly the Chinese who will soon have to work with Prevail Group of Companies at a 10% charge.

Describing it as “systematic looting,” Mawarire claimed Prevail Group of Companies was exempt from the alluvial gold mining ban and further explained that this meant Chinese owned mines that were involved in this type of mining will have no choice but engage Tungwarara’s company and pay a fee out of its profits.

“It all seems good at a superficial level until you realise that Prevail Group, owned by Tungwarara, the so-called ‘Economic Advisor’ to the President is exempt. That’s where the catch is,” said Mawarire on X.

“The whole plan is to frustrate foreign owned companies, especially those owned by Chinese investors, make them lose business through the suspension, make them desperate then force them to work under Prevail Group with Prevail Group collecting royalties of 10-15% every month.

“That’s the purpose of the ministerial directive and suspension of all alluvial gold mining activities throughout the country’s 10 provinces. It is a rent-seeking maneuver carefully crafted to give it a veneer of legality through the proposed statutory instrument.”

Tungwarara’s Prevail Group of Companies is the one which built the multimillion follar precast wall at State House.

He has also been donating various material and money through 4ED affiliates and Presidential Schemes across the country that include war veterans and youths.

Added Mawarire: “Let’s put a stop to this looting for we know the money being stolen through these “presidential schemes” is meant to fund the illegal 2030 project.

“It is the money that is being used to buy cars that the President has been donating to comedians and Zanu PF functionaries who are fronting his illegal bid for term extension to 2030.”