Zimbabwean self-proclaimed prophet and President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ambassador-at-large, Uebert Madzanire, known as Uebert Angel, claims that the President will spend $240 million of his own money on his re-election campaign. Angel made this claim in the third episode of the Al Jazeera documentary “Gold Mafia: El Dorado”, where he was also recorded offering to use his diplomatic status to facilitate gold smuggling and money laundering.
Angel’s alleged involvement in these criminal activities has sparked outrage both in and outside Zimbabwe. Zimbabweans living in South Africa have threatened to protest at Angel’s Johannesburg church, demanding that authorities take action against his corrupt deals. Meanwhile, Zimbabweans residing in the UK are planning to deliver a petition to the British government, urging them to freeze Angel’s assets.
In the documentary, Angel demanded a $200,000 “appreciation” fee from Al Jazeera journalists in exchange for organizing a meeting with Mnangagwa. Angel defended the fee, stating that there was a big difference between appreciating somebody and bribing.
Despite efforts to reach them, Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa and political commissar Mike Bimha have not answered their phones. However, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s Financial Intelligence Unit announced on Wednesday that it had frozen the assets of four officials implicated in facilitating gold smuggling.
Critics have accused authorities of only targeting small fish and leaving kingpins untouched. Exiled former Cabinet minister Jonathan Moyo called for Angel’s assets to be frozen, stating that he appeared to be one of the kingpins of the Gold Mafia.
The documentary has sparked a probe into the corruption allegations raised by the Al Jazeera exposé, with Zimbabwe Miners Federation president Henrietta Rushwaya and gold dealer Ewan MacMillan also implicated.
Farai Maguwu, Director of the Centre for Natural Resource Governance, called on the government to investigate everyone implicated in the documentary, whether they are residents of Zimbabwe or not. Maguwu also called for international police to assist in arresting those involved in the gold looting heist.
The allegations against Angel and others have caused public outrage in Zimbabwe and beyond, with many calling for swift action from authorities to address the issue.
