Bribery racket targets Zimbabwe’s nursing school hopefuls

By Pamenus Tuso

Liliosa Jakata sold four cattle that were the only assets she owned after people claiming to be political intermediaries told her that they could – for a fee – secure nursing training places for her daughters.

The 46-year-old single mother from Mupamaonde village in Masvingo province believed the payments would secure admission to a coveted nursing programme at Silveira Mission Hospital.

Instead, the money disappeared and her daughters were never enrolled.

Jakata’s experience is part of what interviews with other victims and insiders in Zimbabwe’s health sector suggest is a growing racket in which scamsters claim political connections and demand bribes from families desperate to secure nursing school placements.

They prey on the public’s widely held belief that political influence can facilitate such placements.

In Zimbabwe, nursing qualifications are highly sought after. But, places are limited and competition is intense. Trainees also receive government stipends while the profession offers opportunities for employment abroad.

These pressures have created fertile ground for individuals claiming influence over recruitment processes.

Zimbabwe currently has 32 nurse and midwifery training institutions, according to the country’s National Health Strategy 2021-2025.

Recruitment system under scrutiny

In 2019, the government introduced the National Electronic Recruitment for General Nurse Training system in an effort to curb alleged corruption and improve transparency in nursing recruitment.

The system was discontinued in January 2022 after authorities said it disadvantaged applicants in remote areas with limited internet access.
Recruitment was subsequently decentralised to provinces and health institutions with quotas intended to ensure representation across districts. At least half of each intake is meant to come from local districts.

But a senior official at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo, told this reporter that informal arrangements and quotas may influence the process.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official described what he called a “confidential” recruitment structure operating alongside official procedures.

He said that officials from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, chief medical officers and provincial medical directors all have allocation quotas accounting for nearly half the nursing college placements at Mpilo.

The remaining quota is reserved for local recruits, although the source claimed political actors and security agencies sometimes submit names within that pool too.

“These instructions come boss-to-boss. You will never see official documents,” the source said.

When queried, the Ministry of Health and Child Care denied that such political allocations exist.

“The quota system is clear on how the candidates are selected,” ministry spokesperson Donald Mujiri said, adding that no informal allocations occur outside of that system.

A mother’s ordeal

Jakata’s case illustrates how some of the scamsters operate.

Her ordeal began in August 2024 when she visited Silveira Mission Hospital with a sick child and asked nurses about recruitment procedures. Her daughters had applied several times previously for nursing training without success.

During the conversation, Thomas Wasosa, then a student nurse, offered to help secure placements for the two girls.

Months later, on 3 June 2025, Wasosa phoned Jakata claiming he had spoken to his “superiors” and that money was required to bribe officials who could fast-track the enrolment.

He referred her to Tapiwa Marongera, whom he presented as a senior official at the hospital.

Marongera demanded US$1 700 to secure placements for the daughters. The amount was later reduced to US$1 300 after it emerged that one daughter did not meet the mathematics requirement.

WhatsApp messages, EcoCash records and audio recordings show that Jakata transferred the money on 4 June 2025 after being told the payment would be shared among those involved.

Soon afterwards, Wasosa made contact again and told Jakata that mathematics had been dropped as a requirement and that both daughters now qualified. But another US$1,000 was required.

With no other source of income, Jakata sold her four cattle.

“I sold the four cattle I had to raise the money. Those were the only beasts I owned. Now I have nothing.

All I wanted was a chance for my child,” she said.

The additional cash was delivered at Nyika Growth Point in Bikita district, she added.

Jakata’s daughter Alice was then instructed to travel to Harare to meet Wellington Mutisi, who allegedly promised to guide the process further.

In November last year, the Masvingo Mirror identified Mutisi as a pro-Zanu PF activist who rubbed shoulders with the party’s elite and the national commissar for Varakashi 4ED, a loose network of pro-government activists who operate online. The report added that he? was wanted by police for his involvement in defrauding Jakata.

According to Jakata, Mutisi assured her that the placements had been secured before referring Alice to the office of the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution in Masvingo.

It remains unclear whether the minister or his office had any knowledge of the alleged arrangement.

Alice said she travelled overnight and submitted application papers at the minister’s office where two officials reportedly received them.

Despite repeated assurances, neither daughter was called for interviews or enrolled in the September 2025 intake.

When Jakata demanded answers she was told the applications had been deferred to the January 2026 intake.

In a WhatsApp audio message, Marongera said: “Mother, if you look at how I handled the issue from the beginning you will realise that I was showing commitment and love… But if the minister says he will take a certain number from the list and defer the rest to January, what was I supposed to do?”

Jakata later approached the nursing training office at Silveira Mission Hospital and was told Marongera, Wasosa and Mutisi had no role in recruitment.
Jakarta’s revelation led to Wasosa’s arrest.

Masvingo police spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa confirmed the case.

“The case is now before the Bikita Magistrates’ Court. One of the suspects, Tapiwa Marongera who is facing fraud charges is still on the run,” Dhewa said.

According to a response to queries from the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ), Wasosa was placed on remand in October 2025 on fraud charges related to soliciting money under the pretext of facilitating nursing placements.

Investigations are continuing.

Marongera has not been formally charged because he could not be located. Police are also searching for another alleged accomplice, identified by the NPAZ as Mutisi William, but understood to refer to Wellington Mutisi.

When contacted, Mutisi denied involvement.

“The case is before the courts and we leave it there… You just want to tarnish my good reputation,” he said.

Other victims

Jakata’s experience is not isolated.

A teacher at Gwindingwi Secondary School in Bikita said she was approached by a Zanu-PF youth leader who promised to secure a nursing training place for her daughter through party connections.

He demanded US$1 300.

She paid US$450 in cash at Nyika Growth Point taxi rank but her daughter was never called for interviews.

Two other alleged victims initially agreed to tell their stories. But, they later declined to speak, citing fears that complaining could damage their chances of securing training places in the future.

Political recommendations

Evidence obtained during the investigation suggests political figures may play a role in recommending candidates for nursing training.

Bulawayo Central Member of Parliament Surrender Kapokikilu confirmed that he wrote a letter requesting “special consideration” for a nursing training applicant.

“MPs and local leadership are allowed to recommend. They have 10% in the quota system to ensure locals are not short changed,” Kapokikilu said via text message.

Responding to questions submitted via WhatsApp, Donald Mujiri, the Ministry of Health and Child Care’s spokesperson, denied the existence of any arrangement whereby specific quotas in nurse recruitment are allocated to political offices and senior officials.

Unanswered questions

Authorities say they are unaware of widespread bribery linked to nursing recruitment.

Responding to allegations that intermediaries are soliciting payments while claiming influence over recruitment decisions, the Ministry of Health and Child Care said no formal reports had been submitted.

The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe urged the public to avoid paying individuals who claim they can facilitate recruitment.

“Legitimate recruitment processes are conducted through official channels and do not require payments to private individuals,” said Kennedy Khombo NPAZ Deputy Director Corporate Affairs and Communications.

*This report has been produced by the Southern Africa Accountability Journalism Project (SA | AJP), an initiative of the Henry Nxumalo Foundation with the financial assistance of the European Union. It can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.