President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s long-time business associate, Muller Conrad “Billy” Rautenbach, has been formally reported to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), along with senior government officials, over allegations of fraud and corruption involving the contentious acquisition of Springs and Stuhm farms in Goromonzi, Mashonaland East.
The complaint was lodged by the Stuhm Farm Residents’ Association, a collective of war veterans, Members of Parliament, traditional leaders, and other indigenous beneficiaries who were initially allocated land at Stuhm Farm. The group alleges that Rautenbach, working in collusion with Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe, irregularly acquired over 900 hectares of land through his company, Marimba Residential Properties (Pvt) Ltd, to facilitate a private urban housing development.
In a letter dated 17 July 2025 and titled “Report of Suspected Corruption – Irregular Allocation of 903.072 Hectares of Public Land by Minister Daniel Garwe to Marimba Residential Properties (Pvt) Ltd”, association secretary Trevor Saruwaka stated that the move represented blatant public sector corruption and a serious abuse of power.
“I write on behalf of the Stuhm Residents’ Association, of which I am secretary and also a beneficiary of Stand Number 1332,” Saruwaka wrote. “We wish to formally report what we strongly believe to be a case of high-level public sector corruption involving the illegal allocation of large tracts of public land.”
According to the association, the land allocation process was riddled with irregularities. The group insists that Minister Garwe’s decision to allocate the land to Rautenbach was not only opaque but also disregarded the legal rights of the original land recipients, many of whom had already begun to develop their plots.
Fueling further outrage, Rautenbach is believed to have received the land as “compensation” for Aspindale Park — a separate property he allegedly never legally owned. Critics argue that this justification lacks legal merit and accuse state officials of manipulating government policy to benefit politically connected elites.
The association further claims that title deeds for Springs Farm were issued to Rautenbach’s company before any formal legal processes had been concluded. This has raised widespread concern among legal experts and civil society groups, who say the move undermines public trust in land administration and reflects a broader pattern of state capture.
Rautenbach’s close ties to President Mnangagwa have intensified scrutiny around the deal. The businessman has been linked to various controversial transactions in the past, often with implicit or explicit political backing. His name frequently surfaces in conversations about Zimbabwe’s murky intersection of business and politics — a dynamic that has plagued the country’s reform efforts for years.
Observers note that the government, under President Mnangagwa, has often pledged to root out corruption and restore transparency in land reform and governance. However, cases such as this one have raised serious questions about the sincerity and consistency of those efforts. Critics argue that the apparent shielding of powerful allies from accountability contradicts Mnangagwa’s repeated declarations of a “zero tolerance” stance on corruption.
“The involvement of a high-profile figure like Rautenbach, and the alleged backing from senior government officials, including those closely associated with President Mnangagwa, paints a troubling picture,” said one political analyst. “If this case is not handled transparently, it risks undermining the very foundation of the president’s anti-corruption agenda.”
Legal and human rights advocates have since called on ZACC to investigate the matter without fear or favour, warning that failure to do so could further erode public confidence in the justice system. The Residents’ Association has emphasized that its complaint is not politically motivated, but is driven by a desire to protect the rights of ordinary Zimbabweans who have been displaced in favour of powerful interests.
As the investigation unfolds, public pressure continues to mount on ZACC and the Mnangagwa administration to prove that no one is above the law — even those within the president’s inner circle. For many, the outcome of this case will serve as a crucial test of whether Zimbabwe’s institutions can stand firm in the face of political influence and entrenched corruption.
Mnangagwa Ally Billy Rautenbach Reported to ZACC Over Controversial Land Grab
The dispute took a dramatic legal turn when High Court Justice Regis Dembure ruled against the eviction of farmers from Springs Farm, stating that the withdrawal of their land offer letters by Lands Minister Anxious Masuka was “grossly unreasonable, irrational and defying logic.” The judgement upheld the farmers’ right to remain on the land, recognising their long-term investment and dependence on it for survival.
Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe, who is at the centre of the land allocation, is also facing scrutiny. The Residents’ Association alleges that the process was riddled with corruption, fraud, and deliberate manipulation of legal frameworks to favour Rautenbach, who has been linked to numerous controversial business dealings and has long enjoyed proximity to top political figures, including President Mnangagwa.
This is not the first time Minister Garwe has faced backlash over land grabs. In a separate case, High Court Judge Bongani Ndlovu recently blocked his attempt to seize Esidakeni Farm in Nyamandlovu, Matabeleland North. The farm is owned by human rights lawyer Siphosami Malunga and his partners Zephaniah Dlamini and Charles Moyo. That case similarly involved allegations of unlawful land seizure and political interference.
Constitutional law expert Professor Lovemore Madhuku, representing the Springs Farm beneficiaries, argued that the Ministry of Lands’ permanent secretary had improperly submitted legal documents on behalf of Minister Masuka without proper authority. He further cited legal precedent from a 2024 ruling that stopped Minister Masuka from arbitrarily withdrawing land from Chegutu businessman Christopher Rukawo.
In Justice Dembure’s recent judgment, the court highlighted that the eviction attempts lacked procedural fairness and disregarded the socioeconomic realities of the affected farmers. “These people have occupied and developed the land for years,” the judge wrote. “It has become their primary source of livelihood.”
The unfolding controversy has ignited renewed criticism of Zimbabwe’s land governance system, with growing calls for transparency, rule of law, and accountability. Civil society groups and opposition figures argue that politically connected elites continue to manipulate land reform for personal enrichment, at the expense of ordinary Zimbabweans.
“Land reform was meant to empower the landless and correct historical injustices,” said one analyst. “Instead, we are now witnessing elite accumulation of land through corrupt deals that undermine the very spirit of that reform.”
ZACC has yet to issue a public statement on the matter, but the seriousness of the allegations — involving a politically influential businessman, senior cabinet ministers, and contested farmland — suggests that this could become a defining test of the commission’s independence and credibility.
As the nation watches closely, the Stuhm Farm saga may well become a litmus test not only for ZACC but also for President Mnangagwa’s repeated pledges to root out corruption, even when it involves those within his inner circle.
Source- Bulawayo24
