NetOne Terminates CEO Raphael Mushanawani’s Contract Amid Past Fraud Charges
By Desire Tshuma
Harare – State-owned mobile operator NetOne has terminated the contract of Chief Executive Officer Raphael Mushanawani following a board resolution, ending his five-year tenure ahead of its expiry in September.
The decision comes after weeks of uncertainty during which Mushanawani was placed on forced leave pending a final determination on his future.
Mushanawani first took over at NetOne in 2021. During his time, NetOne pursued expansion of network coverage and data services as competition in Zimbabwe’s telecoms sector intensified.
His tenure was, however, marred by legal challenges. In September 2025, Mushanawani was arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission on allegations of fraud involving more than US$1.2 million.
ZACC accused him of breaching company procedures by secretly engaging Lunartech Solutions to upgrade NetOne’s SAGE 1000 system, which was meant to be replaced under a separate US$3.5 million contract awarded to Farevic Systems in 2022.
According to ZACC, Mushanawani initially contracted Lunartech at a cost of US$257,600 and later signed two addendums that inflated the upgrade cost to over US$1.2 million. The commission further alleged he entered into a US$79,467 contract with Diztech for consultancy and training services already covered in the Farevic agreement. ZACC said all the deals were done without the approval of the Executive Committee or the Board.
Mushanawani appeared before Harare magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa and was granted US$500 bail. He was ordered to report to ZACC every two weeks, surrender his passport, and avoid contact with witnesses.
His lawyers rejected the charges, arguing the arrest was “unlawful” and part of a “well-orchestrated ploy” by rivals targeting his post. They maintained that the upgrade was necessary and board-approved to avoid disruption after Sage South Africa announced it would stop support for SAGE 1000 after 31 December 2024.
NetOne was formed in 1996 as a subsidiary of TelOne and became a fully fledged mobile network operator. It is one of Zimbabwe’s three main mobile operators alongside Econet and Telecel. The company has in recent years focused on expanding 4G and 5G rollout, mobile money services, and rural connectivity.
The board has not yet announced an acting CEO or the process for recruiting a substantive replacement.
Efforts to get comment from NetOne were not successful at the time of publication.
