The U.S. Treasury Department has added four Zimbabweans, including President Emmerson Mnangagwa's son, Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Junior, to the sanctions list for his role in representing his father's business interests related to (Office of Foreign Assets Control) OFAC-sanctioned Zimbabwean Kudakwashe Tagwirei, and his company, Sakunda Holdings.
In a statement, the US accuses Tagwirei of having opaque dealings using his close relationship to Mnangagwa in grabbing contracts worth millions of U.S. dollars.
“Tagwirei has utilized his relationships with high-level Zimbabwean officials to gain state contracts and receive favoured access to hard currency, including U.S. dollars. In turn, Tagwirei has provided high priced items, such as expensive cars, to senior-level Zimbabwean government officials. Since former Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe’s 2017 departure, Tagwirei used a combination of opaque business dealings and his on-going relationship with President Mnangagwa to grow his business empire dramatically and rake in millions of U.S. dollars,” read the statement.
OFAC also alleges that Sakunda Holdings has lavished Zimbabwean officials with expensive cars and other gifts.
"As a result of today’s designations, all property and interests in property of the designated persons located in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. All transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of blocked or designated persons are prohibited, unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or otherwise exempt," the statement added.
Other Zimbabweans who were also placed on sanctions include Sandra Mpunga, wife of Kudakwashe Tagwirei, Nqobile Magwizi, Obey Chimuka and his companies, Fossil Contracting, and Fossil Agro.
