Tagwirei Out-Shines VP Chiwenga As Mnangagwa Campaigns For Him

📅 Published: August 26, 2025

Curated by AllZimNews.com

Instead, the imagery was interpreted as a calculated message about Tagwirei’s rising political profile — and Mnangagwa’s possible preference for him over his long-time deputy, Chiwenga.

The ruling party’s Zanu PF Patriots account immediately condemned the flier, calling it “highly inappropriate and misleading. ”
“This is a Presidential event, and it is unacceptable to place Cde Tagwirei’s image on the flier — worse still, positioning it above and larger than the President’s.

Such misrepresentation undermines the dignity of the occasion.

We are confident that Cde Tagwirei does not endorse this distortion,” the account posted on X.

The row comes against the backdrop of intensifying succession battles in Zanu PF.

Chiwenga, the former army general who masterminded the 2017 coup that catapulted Mnangagwa into power, has long been viewed as the natural heir.

But relations between the two men have soured, with Mnangagwa accused of systematically weakening his deputy while surrounding himself with loyal businessmen, technocrats, and family allies.

Tagwirei, a billionaire fuel tycoon and key financier of Zanu PF, has steadily expanded his influence in both business and politics.

His central role in state programmes and his growing public profile have alarmed Chiwenga’s military-aligned faction, which sees him as encroaching on political territory. “In Zanu PF politics, symbolism is never neutral,” a political analyst observed. “Elevating a businessman’s image above the President’s sends a powerful signal.

It reinforces the perception that Mnangagwa is grooming Tagwirei as a trusted ally and sidelining Chiwenga. ”
Still, today’s Mazowe event remains historic.

Mnangagwa is expected to hand over 1,000 title deeds — the largest issuance since the Presidential Title Deeds Programme was launched in December 2024 — while also unveiling irrigation kits designed to boost food security and climate resilience.

Seventy percent of the beneficiaries are war veterans, a critical power bloc in Zanu PF politics.

But instead of the empowerment drive taking centre stage, the programme has been overshadowed by the controversy surrounding Tagwirei’s outsized presence.

By allowing his ally’s image to eclipse not only his own but also the visibility of his deputy, Mnangagwa has deepened speculation that the centre of power in Zanu PF is shifting — from the barracks once represented by Chiwenga to the boardrooms dominated by Tagwirei.

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