Jonathan Moyo reveals Kuda Tagwirei’s real name
Business Politics Zimbabwe

Jonathan Moyo reveals Kuda Tagwirei’s real name

REGIMOND MATHAMBO (or “Matambo”) is Kuda Tagwirei’s real name

EXILED former Cabinet Minister, Jonathan Moyo has revealed Zimbabwe’s controversial businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei’s real name.

Writing on Twitter, Moyo said, “REGIMOND MATHAMBO (or “Matambo”) is Kuda Tagwirei’s real name. Pals he grew up with, speaking pure siNdebele, in Shurugwi call him Regi. He became Tagwirei at #CBZ; setup Sakunda for murky deals & the rest is history. After US & UK sanctions he’s back to MATHAMBO, for some deals!”


Tagwirei, an adviser to Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa, was sanctioned by the U.S. on Aug. 5 last year on allegations that he used political influence to gain access to scarce foreign currency and win lucrative deals. The U.S. linked him to the disappearance of $3 billion from a farm-subsidy program, and the U.K. sanctioned him last month for similar reasons.

Under the U.S. sanctions, Tagwirei is effectively cut off from international financial markets. The ruling prohibits U.S. citizens from doing business with him, and his assets in the U.S. are frozen and must be reported to the U.S. Treasury.

Tagwirei didn’t answer calls made to his mobile phone for this story.

Known locally as “Queen Bee,” Tagwirei’s influence over the Zimbabwean economy is so deep that U.S. and U.K. officials have said payments made to him helped trigger a collapse in Zimbabwe’s currency and contributed to runaway inflation, including drastic increases in the price of food. Zimbabwe last year called the U.S. sanctions racist and intended to undermine the government.

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