HARARE – Presidential spokesperson and Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, George Charamba, has issued a stinging rebuke against Zanu-PF affiliates, singling out the pro-party digital campaign group Varakashi4ED for fostering division, promoting factionalism, and deviating from the ruling party’s ideological compass.
In a hard-hitting statement issued this week, Charamba expressed growing concern over what he described as “mounting indiscipline” within affiliate structures that claim to support President Emmerson Mnangagwa. He lamented that some of these groups, initially created to bolster party messaging, have morphed into platforms for personal ambition, confusion, and political freelancing.
“I was wistful about creating affiliates out of an affiliate,” said Charamba, referring directly to Varakashi4ED, a once-loyal online support outfit that played a pivotal role during the 2023 general elections by promoting Mnangagwa’s re-election bid through social media campaigns. “There is now loose management and fissiparous messaging,” he warned.
Charamba accused the group of abandoning its original purpose and instead pursuing self-serving agendas, further fragmenting Zanu-PF’s image and internal unity. He said Varakashi4ED had allowed the rise of unsanctioned voices who now speak as though they represent official party policy, even though they have no formal authority or mandate.
“No subaltern pronounces policy or presents keynote addresses—not even Vice-Presidents,” he said firmly, reinforcing the centrality of the President as the sole legitimate voice of Zanu-PF. “There is quite some growing indiscipline in our messaging. That must stop forthwith.”
The remarks appear to be a thinly veiled attack on elements within the group who have allegedly aligned themselves with emerging factions ahead of the 2028 elections. Reports suggest that some affiliates are already positioning themselves and their preferred leaders for a post-Mnangagwa era, leading to an erosion of unity within the ruling party.
Charamba Slams Varakashi4ED, Warns Zanu-PF Affiliates Against Factionalism and Indiscipline
Charamba also took aim at what he described as the “dangerous elevation” of junior party members by affiliate platforms, accusing them of overstepping their boundaries by speaking on behalf of senior leaders or speculating about policy matters. “Zanu-PF does not outsource its strategic vision,” he said.
His criticism comes against a backdrop of increasing scrutiny of “zvigananda” — powerful business elites within the party accused of leveraging their wealth to gain political influence. These individuals are believed to have infiltrated affiliate structures like Varakashi4ED, using them to promote their preferred candidates and deepen factional divides. Many within the digital group are thought to be aligned with this network, prompting fears of elite capture.
The warning follows earlier statements by Zanu-PF national spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa, who recently raised alarm over attempts by wealthy businessmen to buy political influence within the party, a signal that the leadership is increasingly uneasy about growing instability sparked by premature succession talk and internal jostling.
Political commentators believe Charamba’s sharp criticism is not just about Varakashi4ED’s online conduct but a broader indictment of how affiliate groups are being weaponised in factional battles within the ruling party.
Political analyst Pardon Taodzera said Charamba’s remarks reflect rising anxiety within the upper echelons of Zanu-PF. “When you have affiliate groups pledging loyalty to different leaders and pushing rival narratives, you risk creating parallel power centres within the party. That’s dangerous for cohesion.”
Dr Aaron Hamauswa, a political science lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe, echoed similar sentiments, stating that Varakashi4ED’s evolution is a symptom of deeper structural issues within Zanu-PF. “What started as a tightly coordinated digital mobilisation tool has now grown into a fragmented, chaotic space driven by ego and factional interests,” he said.
Varakashi4ED is part of a broader ecosystem of Zanu-PF-aligned affiliate groups that includes Young Women4ED, Mahwindi4ED, Vapositori4ED, and Boys DzaMudhara. While initially formed to galvanize grassroots support across different demographics, many of these groups have since been accused of causing confusion and diluting the party’s core messaging by acting independently of formal structures.
Observers warn that as Zanu-PF approaches its elective congress in 2027 and prepares for the 2028 harmonised elections, failure to rein in rogue affiliates could threaten internal stability and public confidence in the party’s ability to govern with unity and discipline.
Charamba’s statement marks a strong signal that the Office of the President is seeking to assert tighter control over party communications and discipline. “Loyalty to President Mnangagwa and adherence to official channels is non-negotiable,” Charamba said, concluding with a stern warning to those using the Zanu-PF banner for self-aggrandisement: “Zanu-PF is a revolutionary movement, not a playground for political adventurists.”
