An investigation by The Sentry, a renowned international watchdog, has exposed a vast and secretive business empire controlled by Zimbabwe’s Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO).
This empire generates additional income for the spy agency through a diverse portfolio of companies involved in tourism, coal mining, and hemp farming.
The CIO’s extensive business interests include stakes in Terrestrial Holdings, Terrestrial Mining, Whitelime Mining, Chimanimani Logistics, Sino Zim Development, Sino Zim Cotton, and Sino Zim Diamonds.
However, registration records for some of these companies are mysteriously missing, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.
The Sentry report, published on June 6, urges the Zimbabwean government to dissolve the CIO’s business empire and ensure that the agency’s funding comes solely from the annual budget process.
“While the bulk of the CIO’s funds come from the official budget, the agency-which has a dedicated investment branch-has been known to engage in private business ventures as a source of off-budget financing.
The government of Zimbabwe should dissolve the CIO’s businesses, wind up its investment branch, and ensure through appropriate national security legislation that there is, in the future, just one source of revenue for the agency, voted for by Parliament in the annual budgeting process,” reads the report, published on June 6.
This would enable better oversight and accountability, preventing security agencies from engaging in corporate ventures that can lead to rogue units and human rights abuses.
The report highlights the risks of security forces with autonomous sources of revenue, emphasizing the need for civilian control and financial oversight to prevent abuse of power. Zimbabwe’s government must ensure transparency and accountability in funding security agencies to prevent further human rights abuses and promote democracy.
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The investigation also raises concerns about the CIO’s history of election-related intimidation and its potential to undermine democracy. The existence of an autonomous CIO business network poses significant risks, as security forces with their sources of revenue can more easily go rogue.
“The existence of an autonomous CIO business network matters because the agency-which has reportedly engaged in election-related intimidation- requires civilian control, including full financial oversight and transparency, to prevent abuse.”
“Security forces with their own sources of revenue can more easily go rogue.”
The Sentry urges banks and firms doing business with CIO-owned companies to conduct enhanced due diligence, consistent with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
This would help identify and mitigate risks associated with direct or indirect support for a state security agency accused of human rights abuses and undermining democracy.
The report’s findings and recommendations are particularly significant given Zimbabwe’s history of human rights abuses and the CIO’s alleged involvement in election-related intimidation.
The international community must pressure the Zimbabwean government to implement reforms and ensure accountability within its security agencies.
