News / National
by Staff reporter
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Zanu-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa has distanced the ruling party from claims made by its legal affairs secretary Patrick Chinamasa that businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei and others have been co-opted into the party’s central committee – signaling growing divisions within the party over President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s succession Chinamasa told state-controlled media on Friday that Tagwirei, alongside three other members from Harare, Mashonaland West, and Matabeleland North provinces, had already been successfully co-opted However, Mutsvangwa yesterday insisted that Chinamasa was merely expressing a personal opinion and not the official party position “I am Zanu-PF spokesperson,” Mutsvangwa told The Standard
“I will surely not speak for Chinamasa My import is to speak for the party and its president.”
Pressed on the contradictory statements, Mutsvangwa responded curtly: “Don’t you think it’s best to check with him I am sure you may have all the more questions you may have for him.” Chinamasa, who had initially posted the co-option announcement on X earlier in the week before deleting and reposting it later that night, has remained unreachable for comment The public disagreement between the two senior Zanu-PF figures has brought to the surface factional rivalries in the ruling party, particularly as tensions rise around who will succeed Mnangagwa when his final term ends in 2028
While a faction loyal to Mnangagwa is reportedly pushing for the 82-year-old leader to extend his rule until 2030, the president has publicly maintained that he will step down after completing his constitutionally mandated two terms Tagwirei, a powerful businessman with close ties to the political elite, has long denied ambitions to enter active politics or position himself as Mnangagwa’s successor However, his controversial co-option attempt – reportedly spearheaded by Harare Province – was blocked by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga during a central committee meeting, citing procedural irregularities The move to bring Tagwirei into the central committee is widely seen as a strategic maneuver by the Mnangagwa-aligned faction, with Chiwenga’s opposition signaling a power struggle within the top ranks of the party
Analysts warn that the growing public spats and procedural disputes within Zanu-PF reflect deepening divisions, as various camps jostle for influence ahead of the expected leadership transition in 2028 “The Tagwirei saga is more than a procedural matter – it’s a power play,” said a political analyst who requested anonymity “The fact that Mutsvangwa and Chinamasa are openly contradicting each other is a sign that the gloves are off in Zanu-PF’s succession race.”
As of yesterday, the status of Tagwirei’s co-option remains unclear, with no official communication from the party confirming or denying the appointments Source – The Standard
More on: #Mutsvangwa, #Factionalism, #Zanu-PF
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Source: Bulawayo24
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