BRENNA MATENDERE
THE Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) has reportedly bought a gigantic property in central Harare belonging to Old Mutual amid revelations that the spy agency intends to shift some of its special units from the drab “Red Brick” headquarters to the central business district.
The newly acquired property, known as Old Mutual House, is located at the corner of Speke Avenue and Sam Nujoma Street.
The building, which sits on eight floors, had previously been rented by Harare City Council’s water department until the CIO bought it for an undisclosed amount.
Sources told The NewsHawks that the CIO is currently renovating only the third floor which it wants to occupy.
No further plans on how the CIO intends to use the remaining floors have been made public to stakeholders.
“They are just renovating the third floor and no notice of vacation for Harare council water department has been given,” a source told The NewsHawks.
Sources indicated that Forever Associates Zimbabwe (Faz), a shadowy group of Zanu PF schemers that campaigned for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to secure a third term, may be given office space at the new CIO property. Faz is led by CIO deputy director-general Walter Tapfumanei.
However, Faz president Kudakwashe Munsaka said the organisation has no plans to relocate from its Avondale offices.
“Faz already has offices, and our headquarters have always been located at 224 Avon Mews in Avondale. We do not currently have any plans to relocate,” he said.
The CIO was conceived as the external intelligence-gathering arm of the British South Africa Police Special Branch in 1963 under the Southern Rhodesian Prime Minister Winston Field.
Its funds are not subjected to an audit by the Comptroller and Auditor-General, which means its expenditure is not subjected to oversight.
However, earlier investigations by The NewsHawks revealed that Zimbabwe’s thriving car hire company, Impala Car Rental, which has a big footprint in the tourism sector, is owned by the CIO.
The revelations came as the company was implicated in the abduction and torture of the then journalism student Tawanda Muchehiwa. Documents obtained during the investigation showed that Impala – registered as Impala Carriers (Pvt) Ltd – is owned by Chilten Trust, a CIO entity, represented by the late company chief executive Thompson Dondo in the car hire firm’s registration documents. Impala’s registration number is 2519/1989.
Although Impala registration documents had been removed from the company registry in Harare, The NewsHawks managed to meticulously piece together the record. Investigations revealed Chilten Trust is a CIO entity used for administrative, operational and investment purposes.
The probe unearthed a secret arrangement between the late Dondo and the CIO on the ownership of the business.
The function of the CIO is to provide high-level security to the state from threats both within and outside Zimbabwe.
The spy agency also offers security to high-ranking officials like the President, various government employees like ministers and diplomats working in and outside Zimbabwe.
Regionally, the organisation works with intelligence agencies from other African countries under a body called the Central Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (Cissa) to tackle problems that threaten the stability of the continent and hamper development, such as terrorism and extremism.
The CIO has largely been viewed as the real power behind President Mnangagwa, despite claims alleging the national army (ZNA) of being the same.
Reports suggest that in the aftermath of the army deployment during the 2017 coup, the CIO, together with the Air Force of Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) had mobilised a counter force to thwart the rebellious army, but were ordered to stand down by the then President Robert Mugabe to avoid the country spilling into full blown civil war.
