If you listen to the rumors in the market, Finance permanent secretary George Guvamatanga is the ultimate gatekeeper—the man standing between government suppliers and their bank balances.
It is a reputation that carries an aura of fear, power, and the assumption that one signature from ‘GG’, as Guvamatanga is affectionately known, determines who sinks and who swims.
During a recent appearance on the ZFN Capital Friday Drinks show to discuss the 2026 national budget, Guvamatanga was confronted with this very perception.
The interviewer didn’t mince words, suggesting that Guvamatanga’s position is so powerful that he perhaps needs a "slave" to follow him around—much like ancient Roman generals—whispering, *"Remember, you are just a mortal."
The suggestion on the table? Guvamatanga should remove himself from the payment process entirely and hand it over to a transparent committee to eliminate the fear factor.
Guvamatanga, however, was quick to pour cold water on the image of him sitting in a dark room deciding which road contractor gets a check.
"I think it’s a misunderstanding of government processes and how things work," Guvamatanga retorted.
He clarified that Treasury was not a giant, centralised procurement entity.
Contrary to popular belief, they do not sit in the Ministry of Finance approving payments for every desk, chair, or cup of coffee consumed by the government.
"Treasury is not a procuring entity. We do not procure goods and services on behalf of ministries, departments, and agencies.
“They do their own procurement. Treasury pays on request from the particular ministries... We don't even know their suppliers," he explained.
"We simply review to see that there's value for money and that all the legal steps have been followed.
“When it comes to payment again, the decision does not lie in treasury.
“Treasury pays on request from the particular ministries, departments, and agencies in line with their programs, in line with their budgets.”
To illustrate his point, Guvamatanga painted a chaotic picture of what it would look like if the Treasury actually did process every single government payment.
He argued that centralised decision-making for a government of that size would be a "practical impossibility."
From district levels to central government, there are thousands of suppliers.
Treasury has no way of knowing who fixed a car in Bulawayo, who supplied stationery in Mutare, or who provided catering for a meeting in Harare.
"I think you would need a committee of 200 people to do this, just to go through and make the decision on payment," he joked, noting that if he had to sign off on every invoice, he would "never leave."
If Guvamatanga isn't holding onto the cash, why do suppliers complain about not getting paid?
The permanent secretary pointed the finger at the ministries, departments, and Agencies (MDAs). He explained the flow of funds simply:
- MDAs request funds for specific programs (e.g., a road or a dam).
- Treasury releases the bulk funds to the MDA.
- The MDA selects and pays the supplier.
The problem, according to Guvamatanga, often arises after the money leaves Treasury.
"That's why we have instances where we send money and the MDA diverts it to other use... It's money for utilities, right? And it's used for something else," he said.
There is, however, one area where Guvamatanga admits the buck does stop with him: Debt and financing structures.
If a contractor approaches the government with a financing model—offering to build a road now and be paid over time—that debt requires a Treasury sign-off.
"Because there is a debt that is actually involved," he noted.