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Lawyers for Zimbabwean multimillionaire Simon Rudland have issued an urgent legal demand to the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, giving the state broadcaster two days to retract an article that accused him of financing violent protests aimed at overthrowing President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government.
Attorney Norman Chimuka of Chimuka Mafunga Commercial Attorneys wrote to ZBC chief executive Sugar Chagonda on Tuesday demanding "a full, unconditional, and unreserved withdrawal" of the article along with "an expression of regret" over the statements published about Rudland. The letter warned that if ZBC failed to comply, Rudland would seek an injunction and damages "without further notice."
The article in question, published on March 10 under the headline "Kasukuwere, Mambondiyani plot violent protest using Biti's forum, ZINASU and bloggers as fronts," named Rudland as "the major sponsor of these machinations" and alleged he had "wired substantial amounts of money to bankroll the demonstrations, with more expected from his foreign networks."
The ZBC article placed Rudland alongside self-exiled former cabinet minister Saviour Kasukuwere and activist Danmore Mambondiyani, accusing all three of attempting to orchestrate violent mass protests to bring about unconstitutional regime change. The alleged vehicle was the Constitutional Defenders Forum, a new organisation led by former finance minister Tendai Biti that is actively resisting moves to extend Mnangagwa's term beyond its constitutional limit by two years.
Chimuka's letter said the article's statements, read by any reasonable person, implied that Rudland was financing plans to "violently and unconstitutionally overthrow an elected government" -- an accusation amounting to an imputation of treason. It further accused ZBC of publishing the article without contacting Rudland for verification, calling the failure a breach of basic professional journalism standards.
"The article falsely imputes treasonous actions to our client while relying on and hiding behind unverified sources," the letter states.
Rudland has denied the accusations outright. His lawyers described the allegations as a "false and malicious" claim that he sponsored sedition and insurrection against an elected government.
Sources familiar with the matter told ZimLive that the campaign against Rudland may have been triggered after individuals aligned with Zanu PF reportedly attempted to solicit financial contributions from him. When he declined, the online smear campaign followed.
This is not the first time Rudland has found himself at the intersection of politics and personal danger in Zimbabwe. In 2019, he survived an assassination attempt when he was shot three times outside the Fair Trade Independent Tobacco Association offices in Johannesburg. No one was ever charged in connection with the attack.
Rudland was born in Harare in 1971 and built one of Zimbabwe's most diversified private business portfolios. He co-founded Gold Leaf Tobacco Corporation with business partner Yakub Mahomed, growing it into one of Southern Africa's largest cigarette manufacturers and distributors. His Cut Rag Processors factory, a $120 million facility in Harare's Aspindale industrial area fitted with German and Italian technology, processes Zimbabwe's raw tobacco into cut rag for export to Asian and regional markets.
He also co-founded Pioneer Transport in 1995 with his brother Hamish, which later expanded into Pioneer Corporation Africa through acquisitions including Unifreight, the owner of Swift Transport, Bulwark and Clan. Beyond logistics and tobacco, Rudland holds farms, mining interests in Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo, a bus company and significant shareholdings on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, including stakes in the financial and reinsurance group Zimre and agricultural company CFI Holdings through their investment vehicle Day River Corporation. His companies collectively employ more than 10,000 people.
His portfolio is valued at more than $1 billion, making him one of the wealthiest individuals in Zimbabwe.
ZBC had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.
