Tinotenda Hove – President Emmerson Mnangagwa has entered into talks with Chinese giants China Railways Group and Huawei, but the multi-million-dollar agreements are already drawing sharp criticism, with many warning that Zimbabwe could be sliding deeper into a debt trap.

Finance and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube described the arrangement—valued at US$600 million for a railway system overhaul—as a “game changer” for the country’s struggling transport sector. However, observers say the deal looks more like another costly dependency on Beijing than a sustainable path to development.

China Railways Group is set to spearhead the rehabilitation of Zimbabwe’s dilapidated rail infrastructure, but analysts fear the contracts will come with hidden strings attached, locking the nation into long-term financial commitments that undermine sovereignty.

Meanwhile, Huawei plans to expand its footprint by modernising Zimbabwe’s communication systems and introducing artificial intelligence technologies. Critics have expressed concern over surveillance risks, arguing that the tech giant’s involvement could compromise privacy and national security.

“On the surface, it sounds like progress, but in reality, Zimbabwe is being boxed into arrangements that strip away independence,” one economic analyst warned.

Opposition figures have condemned Mnangagwa’s strategy of leaning on foreign entities for critical infrastructure, accusing the government of selling out strategic sectors while ordinary citizens continue to suffer under a collapsing economy.