NSSA CHAIRMAN EMMANUEL FUNDIRA CAUGHT IN DARK EXTORTION STORM
The name Emmanuel Fundira has always carried weight in Zimbabwe’s business circles, but today it carries something else — suspicion. The NSSA chairman is now at the center of a storm that exposes how greed and corruption continue to eat away at the country’s institutions. Police have questioned him over an alleged role in an extortion plot involving former Rainbow Tourism Group (RTG) senior employee, Paula January. The case has shocked many Zimbabweans who are already tired of seeing the same story of powerful people abusing their positions repeat itself.
According to investigators, Fundira and January tried to push down RTG’s market value so they could buy its shares cheaply. It is alleged that January, who once worked for RTG, began threatening company executives after being fired in 2019. Her threats were not just emotional outbursts — they were calculated. She reportedly demanded money or her old job back, and when the company refused, she claimed she would expose them for corruption and money laundering.
In audio recordings that have now surfaced, January is heard demanding payment and accusing RTG executives of fraud during a past meeting in Dubai. She even said she would unleash the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) on them if they didn’t comply. What makes this case darker is that police believe she was getting inside information from Fundira himself — the very man who was supposed to protect public assets, not help destroy them.
As NSSA chairperson, Fundira had access to sensitive RTG data. Evidence suggests he shared confidential information about salaries, allowances, and internal operations with January, helping her carry out her threats. In one of the recordings, January openly mentions Fundira by name, showing just how closely the two might have been working together.
Fundira’s position has always required the highest level of trust. As the head of NSSA — which owns a massive 91.6% stake in RTG — he was supposed to avoid conflicts of interest. But his past as chairman of African Sun Limited already raised eyebrows. Now, with this scandal, it seems his business interests have once again crossed into dangerous territory.
RTG has tried to fight back, but the company has been dragged through the mud. After a court nullified a search and seizure warrant obtained by ZACC, RTG briefly stopped the investigations. Yet ZACC later came back with another warrant, this time accusing senior executives of money laundering and illegal foreign currency dealings. The drama has not only shaken RTG but also exposed the weakness of Zimbabwe’s corporate governance systems — where the powerful can twist the rules for personal gain.
January is said to have fled the country and is now hiding in Malawi. Fundira has kept silent, refusing to comment on the matter, but his silence speaks volumes. Many Zimbabweans see this as yet another example of how those close to power never face consequences.
What is even more worrying is the future of RTG. NSSA plans to sell 56% of its shares to meet stock exchange rules, but observers believe Fundira and his allies might have been deliberately sabotaging the company’s value to buy those shares cheaply. If true, it would be one of the most shameless abuses of power in recent memory.
This scandal is not just about Fundira or January. It is about a system that allows corruption to live and grow. It shows how national institutions that should serve the people are being used as personal cash machines by those at the top. Until there is true accountability, Zimbabwe will keep watching the same sad movie — where the rich get richer, the corrupt walk free, and the ordinary citizen pays the price.
