Zimbabwe stands today at an uncomfortable intersection between ambition and accountability, and few figures embody this tension more than presidential investment advisor, Paul Tempter Tungwarara and his company, Prevail Group International (PGI).
Over the past few years, Tungwarara has been presented as a key architect of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s development agenda — a dealmaker, fixer, and implementer of large-scale national projects.
Yet, as the dust settles on one high-profile programme after another, a troubling pattern is emerging: bold announcements, photo opportunities and ground-breaking — but a far thinner record of completion and tangible public benefit.
Equally troubling is the manner in which PGI has risen so rapidly to prominence.
The company was only registered last year, yet in that short time it has amassed an astonishing portfolio of government contracts — many awarded without clear competitive bidding or transparent procurement processes.
This includes borehole drilling under the Presidential Borehole Scheme, hospital refurbishments, housing projects for war veterans as well as solar power rollouts.
Such a concentration of state contracts in a newly registered entity raises serious questions about fairness, due process, and potential conflicts of interest.
The Presidential Borehole Scheme, in particular, has left many rural communities frustrated, with numerous boreholes either malfunctioning, poorly installed, or abandoned before completion.
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For villagers who were promised reliable water access, the failure of these systems has been a painful betrayal.
Similarly, hospital refurbishment projects linked to PGI have often dragged on beyond deadlines or stalled altogether, leaving partially upgraded facilities and unanswered questions about costs and oversight.
Meanwhile, housing projects for war veterans — a sensitive and politically charged responsibility — have also been criticised for slow progress and poor quality in some cases.
The solar power rollouts, meant to ease Zimbabwe’s chronic energy shortages, have likewise faced implementation delays and technical concerns.
Perhaps most emblematic of the blurred lines between opportunity and controversy is PGI’s recent tender to desilt rivers and dams across the country — a critical national task given Zimbabwe’s recurring flooding and water management challenges.
On paper, this is an urgent and necessary intervention. In practice, it deepens concerns about capacity and accountability.
Can a company barely a year old, already under scrutiny for half-baked delivery, be trusted with such a vast and technically demanding mandate?
The issue is not whether Tungwarara is powerful — he clearly is. The issue is whether that power is translating into effective, completed, and people-centred development. Right now, the evidence suggests otherwise.
Until PGI can demonstrate a consistent track record of finishing what it starts — and until the government ensures transparent, competitive procurement — the outcry over Tungwarara’s programmes will only grow louder.
