What kind of man wants to be president yet doesn’t even discuss the welfare of suffering Zimbabwe?

Tendai Ruben Mbofana

In the leaked audio, which captures what is evidently a largely one-way phone conversation, a man alleges a recent discussion between a self-proclaimed prophet and a well-known tenderpreneur.

If you value my social justice advocacy and writing, please consider a financial contribution to keep it going. Contact me on WhatsApp: +263 715 667 700 or Email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com

This business tycoon is frequently touted as a favorite of the ruling oligarchy to become the next president of Zimbabwe.

The individual in question built his phenomenal fortune through opaque, often monopolistic deals spanning vital sectors of the economy, including fuel supply, banking, and land.

In this alleged discussion, he reportedly expressed his presidential ambitions to the dubious prophet without a shred of hesitation, openly spelling out his plans for the country.

What emerges from the recording is a chilling display of arrogance.

The tenderpreneur allegedly bragged about possessing immense power and influence despite holding no official government position.

He attributed this leverage entirely to his proximity to the corridors of power, claiming to be the driving force behind several recent laws and regulations implemented in Zimbabwe.

Among these are the ban on foreign-owned small-scale mining, the prohibition of medical aid insurance companies owning medical centers, and the highly controversial Constitutional Amendment (No. 3) Bill, which seeks to extend the length of the presidential term.

According to the audio, his intentions behind these regulations are purely predatory.

He supposedly expressed a desire to use these state-enforced bans to dominate the mining sector and seize private medical centers faced with state forfeiture, planning to acquire them by offering a measly 60 percent of their real value.

Furthermore, he allegedly boasted of plans to amass millions of acres of Zimbabwean land.

The voice in the recording further claims the tycoon boasted that even cabinet ministers consult him on major policies.

Secure in his deep pockets—which he allegedly claimed are deeper than those of any rival—he declared certainty that he will be the next president, boasting that he has anyone of significance in his pocket, including top security and defense forces officials, alongside captured church organizations and their leaders.

He also reportedly went out of his way to express his loathing for the current vice president, whom he views as the single greatest threat to his political ambitions.

There is no need to waste energy analyzing the political mechanics of these statements, if indeed they were expressed by the tycoon.

What is far more troubling than what was supposedly said is what was completely left out.

For a man so eager to lead this nation, he failed to utter a single word regarding the suffering people of Zimbabwe.

How can someone aspire to the highest office in the land and remain utterly unconcerned that 80 percent of the population lives in poverty, with nearly 50 percent enduring extreme poverty?

In this entire detailed outline of future governance, there was no mention of implementing economic policies to ensure the equitable distribution of our vast natural wealth, nor a single thought on how to alleviate the daily struggles of ordinary citizens.

Should we not expect an aspiring president to be deeply worried by the fact that nearly three million children face hunger in Zimbabwe?

Should they not be actively discussing ways to address this humanitarian crisis?

Instead, a man boasting of unparalleled power and influence in a private setting—where political grandstanding is stripped away and the true heart is revealed—chose to focus entirely on self-aggrandizement.

Even when discussing the takeover of private medical facilities owned by medical aid schemes, the motivation sounded entirely financial.

There was zero discussion on ensuring that ordinary citizens gain access to critical medicines, basic care, or lifesaving equipment.

The state of public hospitals, where innocent Zimbabweans lose their lives daily due to a severe lack of funding and resources, did not elicit a single word of pain or concern.

This silence is precisely why the audio is so alarming.

Private conversations are where the real person is exposed, free from public posturing.

For the profound suffering of the citizenry to not even feature as a footnote in a discussion about leading the country is incredible.

If true, the conversation reveals a man completely drunk on power.

His sole focus is demonstrating his influence, expanding his wealth beyond measure, owning vast swathes of the country, and securing the presidency.

There is absolutely nothing about helping families who struggle to put a decent meal on the table.

This entire episode tells us everything we need to know about the individuals fighting so aggressively to rule over us.

It is entirely about them, and never about us.

We are in grave danger as a nation at the hands of these tenderpreneurs who seem to believe they own this country.

Thousands sacrificed their lives for this nation.

The sense of entitlement is sickening.

Yet, despite this glaring disregard for the public welfare, we still witness fellow citizens willing to be used for a pittance to enable these self-serving ambitions to succeed.

• Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. To directly receive his articles please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08