Why the US has maintained sanctions on Mnangagwa, his wife and Tagwirei

Fossil Agro is a subsidiary of Sakunda Holdings and has provided it with material support. 

OFAC designated Fossil Agro on December 12, 2022 pursuant to E.O. 13469 for providing material, logistical, or technical support to the Government of Zimbabwe. Fossil Agro is designated pursuant to E.O. 13818 for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of Sakunda Holdings.

The director of Fossil Agro and longtime business partner of Tagwirei, Obey Chimuka (Chimuka), sits on the board and serves as director of several Tagwirei-owned companies.

Chimuka was designated on December 12, 2022 pursuant to E.O. 13469 for acting for or on behalf of Fossil Agro, Fossil Contracting and Tagwirei, and is designated pursuant to E.O. 13818 for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, Tagwirei.

Chimuka owns Fossil Contracting, which has received Government of Zimbabwe contracts that have facilitated acts of corruption. 

Fossil Contracting was designated on December 12, 2022 pursuant to E.O. 13469 for providing material, logistical, or technical support to the Government of Zimbabwe, and is designated pursuant to E.O. 13818 for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, Chimuka.

SECURITY OFFICIALS 

Under the leadership of Mnangagwa and Zimbabwe’s First Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga (Chiwenga), Zimbabwe’s security forces have engaged in the violent repression of political activists and civil society organizations. Mnangagwa’s reelection was marred by fraud, the deployment of groups who intimidated voters, and the use of government-organized “ferret teams.” Since the election, the ferret teams, comprising intelligence, police, and military personnel, have likely been involved in the abduction of up to 12 individuals associated with civil society organizations or opposition parties, including Tapfumanei Masaya, who was found dead on November 13, 2023. Abductees report being pushed into vehicles, beaten and stripped naked, injected with unknown substances, threatened with retaliation, and later dumped on the roadside outside of Harare. In 2019, ferret teams reportedly abducted and assaulted more than 50 people. Opposition supporters also claim to have been tortured by security officials, including being stripped, beaten, and whipped at a Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) station.

Chiwenga, who has been Zimbabwe’s Vice President since 2018, was originally listed in the Annex to E.O. 13288 of March 6, 2003 and the Annex to E.O. 13391 on November  23, 2005. Chiwenga is designated pursuant to E.O. 13818 for being a foreign person who is or has been a leader or official of an entity, including any government entity, that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, serious human rights abuse relating to the leader’s or official’s tenure.

Zimbabwe’s Defense Minister Oppah Muchinguri (Muchinguri) is responsible for overseeing Zimbabwe’s Defense Forces and is the chair of the national Joint Operation Command. Under her leadership, Zimbabwe’s military personnel have engaged in violent repression. 

Muchinguri, who has been Zimbabwe’s Defense Minister since 2018, was identified in the Annex to E.O. 13288 on March 6, 2003 and the Annex to E.O. 13391 on November  23, 2005. She is designated pursuant to E.O. 13818 for being a foreign person who is or has been a leader or official of an entity, including any government entity, that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, serious human rights abuse relating to the leader’s or official’s tenure.

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