Zimbabwe’s airport corridor has been looted twice: first in 1995 when a terminal tender was handed to Mugabe’s nephew, then again from 2008 to 2026 in a second scandal involving Ken Sharpe.
This thread focuses on the second scandal (2008–2026).
1. The Illegal Road Contract (2008)
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Harare City Council signed a deal with Ken Sharpe’s Augur Investments to build the Airport Road without a tender.
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Payment: 90% in prime Harare land, 10% cash.
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Outcome: Only 10km of a 20km road was completed.
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Council cancelled the deal.
2. The Massive Land Heist (2008–2015)
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Augur was allocated nearly 700 hectares of Harare land.
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A court called it “a complete fraud… a massive land heist.”
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Augur failed to build the road, then demanded a 35% termination fee (40,665 hectares of Pomona land) as compensation for failing.
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Auditor General’s findings: Obsolete machinery, ghost workers, US5millionwastedonequipmenthire.ZinarapaidUS11.4 million for a 10km road.
3. The Secret Presidential Immunity Deal (2019)
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The City of Harare kept winning court cases against Sharpe.
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Local Government Minister July Moyo (acting for President Emmerson Mnangagwa) signed a secret Deed of Settlement (May 28, 2019).
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It granted Sharpe’s companies criminal immunity and fast-tracked permits.
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Mnangagwa was named the 9th respondent in a subsequent court filing challenging the deal.
4. The Aspindale Fraud (2019–2025) – Most Brazen Land Grab
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2019: Justice Philda Muzofa ruled that Sharpe had no legal title to 180 hectares in Aspindale Park (land belonged to housing co-ops).
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March 2025: Minister Daniel Garwe offered Sharpe 1,083 hectares (Springs Farm + Stuhm Farm) as “total compensation” for the 180 hectares he never owned – by presidential directive (Mnangagwa reportedly instructed Minister Masuka).
5. The Evictions (2025)
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Those evicted for Sharpe’s compensation included:
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Zanu-PF war veterans.
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The National Young Farmer of the Year 2024.
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Nearly 100 former MPs (Temba Mliswa, Morgan Komichi, Elias Mudzuri, Priscilla Misihairabwi) who had paid US$1,942 each and held leases until 2029.
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6. The Pre-Emptive Title Deed (June 2025)
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Evicted farmers filed a High Court challenge on May 29, 2025.
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The title deed for Springs Farm was issued to Sharpe on June 5, 2025 (before the court could hear the case).
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Armed guards were deployed around the farm before the hearing.
7. The Captured Courts & ZACC
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Sharpe has fought 34 court cases simultaneously and won most.
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He sued former Minister Biti for US$1 million defamation (over corruption accusations). High Court entered default judgment against Biti; Supreme Court dismissed Biti’s appeal.
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ZACC (which cleared Chivayo) cleared Sharpe of any wrongdoing – without published findings.
8. The Judge Who Owed the Housing Fund (Constitutional Court)
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A ConCourt three-panel bench (Justices Paddington Garwe, Rita Makarau, Anne Mary Gowora) dismissed an application against Sharpe, ruling in his favour.
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Justice Paddington Garwe was documented in the 1998 Hoza memorandum as owing the state $109,115 from the civil servants’ housing fund.
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He later became Judge President of the High Court, Supreme Court Justice, and ConCourt Justice.
9. The Presidential Endorsement
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President Mnangagwa personally visited Sharpe’s WestProp projects (Millennium Heights, Pokugara).
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Despite the secret immunity deal, evictions, and captured courts, Sharpe is now worth an estimated US$600 million.
Final Summary of the Capture Ecosystem:
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Road contract → No tender.
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Payment → Land for incomplete work.
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Criminal charges → Withdrawn via secret presidential deal.
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Courts → Neutralised (including a judge who owed the housing fund).
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Anti-corruption body → Cleared him.
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President → Visits his projects.
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Farmer’s explanation for why Sharpe got 10x what he claimed: “It was a directive from the President.”
