Published: 03 June 2025

Zimbabweans reacted with anger and disbelief after it emerged that the Ministry of Finance authorised a US$4.2 million payment to Betterbrands Petroleum, a company owned by Zanu PF legislator Scott Sakupwanya.

The controversy erupted on Monday, June 2, 2025, when ZimLive published a payment instruction on X (formerly Twitter), revealing that the government transferred US$4,295,916.87 to Betterbrands Petroleum. The document, dated May 30, carried the signature and approval of George Guvamatanga, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Finance.

The instruction requested Treasury to debit a USD tax Nostro account and deposit the funds into Betterbrands Petroleum's ECOBANK account. It concluded with a standard note requesting cooperation. The payment, explicitly stated to be on behalf of the Ministry of Finance, sparked intense scrutiny due to the absence of an official explanation.

Despite public interest and mounting questions, neither Guvamatanga nor Sakupwanya had responded to ZimLive's requests for comment by the time of publication. While Betterbrands Petroleum operates in the bulk fuel industry, the revelation has triggered widespread criticism over the government's choice to engage a private company - owned by a ruling party official - instead of Petrotrade, the state-run petroleum supplier.

The transaction has raised serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and fairness in public procurement processes. Critics have questioned whether due diligence was followed and why such a substantial amount was awarded without a public tender or clear justification.

Social media platforms were quickly flooded with angry responses from citizens who saw the payment as another example of state resources being channeled to politically connected individuals. While a few attempted to defend the deal as a routine business transaction, the overwhelming sentiment was one of frustration, suspicion, and a deepening distrust in government institutions.

With neither the Ministry of Finance nor Betterbrands Petroleum offering clarity, the controversy continues to fuel debate about corruption, patronage, and the lack of accountability in Zimbabwe's public sector.
- online

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