Harare – In a dramatic escalation of Zimbabwe’s internal power struggles, Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga has ordered senior ZANU PF officials in Harare Province to return vehicles they received from controversial businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei, accusing them of breaching party discipline and deepening factional divisions.
The directive, issued during a tense high-level meeting last Tuesday at the ZANU PF headquarters, is seen as part of Chiwenga’s broader effort to reassert his authority within the ruling party and curb the influence of wealthy individuals like Tagwirei, whose ties to President Emmerson Mnangagwa have made him a powerful political player.
According to sources privy to the closed-door meeting, Chiwenga was joined by ZANU PF national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri and party secretary-general Obert Mpofu. The meeting summoned the entire Harare provincial executive, led by provincial chairperson Goodwills Masimirembwa, alongside representatives from the main party wing, the women’s league, the youth league, and Central Committee members from the capital.
At the heart of the controversy are 18 vehicles reportedly donated by Tagwirei to the Harare executive. The donation, insiders say, was followed almost immediately by an attempt to co-opt Tagwirei into the party’s Central Committee—a move seen by critics as a political trade-off designed to secure his loyalty and consolidate President Mnangagwa’s grip on party structures.
“VP Chiwenga made it clear that the liberation struggle was not fought for individuals to buy their way into power,” one party insider said. “He told the leadership that ZANU PF cannot be sold to the highest bidder.”
Chiwenga is said to have strongly rebuked the executive for bypassing internal protocols and abusing party resources for personal enrichment. In particular, he singled out Masimirembwa for turning party offices into informal tuckshops and allegedly collecting rent for personal benefit. Chiwenga instructed that all proceeds from party-owned properties be redirected to the party’s national finance department with immediate effect.
Chiwenga Orders ZANU PF Officials to Return Tagwirei Vehicles Amid Factional Tensions
In a further blow to the Harare leadership, Chiwenga ordered the reversal of disciplinary actions taken against over a dozen youth league members who had been suspended for allegedly aligning themselves with him in the intensifying succession battle. He demanded their immediate reinstatement, signalling his intent to reassert influence over structures that have shifted towards Mnangagwa-aligned factions.
Chiwenga’s remarks reportedly drew heavily on liberation war rhetoric, as he reminded officials of the sacrifices made during Zimbabwe’s armed struggle. “He said no number of cars, no amount of money, can buy the blood that was spilled,” the source added.
The Harare provincial leadership, clearly rattled by the confrontation, was forced to issue apologies. Masimirembwa reportedly expressed regret and pledged to realign the province’s activities with national leadership directives. However, signs of resistance remain.
Not all provincial leaders have accepted the directive without objection. Harare political commissar Voyage Dambuza and several others have reportedly mocked the order in internal WhatsApp groups, describing it as “empty threats” and vowing not to surrender the vehicles.
“There is pushback, particularly from those who feel protected by the Tagwirei-Mnangagwa alliance,” a ZANU PF insider said. “Some believe that Chiwenga’s campaign is political posturing and won’t be backed by real consequences.”
This defiance illustrates the broader split within the party. While Mnangagwa has leaned heavily on business tycoons like Tagwirei to fortify his position, Chiwenga—who led the 2017 military coup that installed Mnangagwa—has grown increasingly vocal in his opposition to what he sees as creeping commercialisation of political loyalty.
Kudakwashe Tagwirei, a businessman whose interests span fuel, mining, and infrastructure, has long been a polarising figure in Zimbabwe’s political landscape. Frequently accused of benefitting from murky government contracts and monopolies, Tagwirei has cultivated a reputation as a behind-the-scenes power broker.
His growing involvement in party structures—including the failed attempt to induct him into the Central Committee—has raised alarm among reformist elements in ZANU PF who fear the party is being hijacked by wealth and patronage networks.
Chiwenga’s recent crackdown appears aimed at curbing this trend and reasserting ideological purity and procedural order within the party. But observers say it may also signal the opening salvo in a more aggressive campaign to control ZANU PF’s future as Mnangagwa’s second term approaches its twilight.
The incident is the latest in a string of moves highlighting the deepening divisions within the ruling party. The battle lines are increasingly drawn between two dominant factions: one centred on President Mnangagwa and his allies in business, and another rallying behind Chiwenga, who many believe is positioning himself for a leadership bid at the next elective congress.
Whether Chiwenga’s bold move to reclaim party discipline and reverse Tagwirei’s influence will succeed—or trigger deeper instability—remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: ZANU PF’s internal power dynamics are entering a volatile new phase, with consequences that could shape the direction of Zimbabwean politics for years to come.
Source- ZimEye
