Vice-President
Constantino Chiwenga last month blocked moves by the Zanu PF Harare provincial
executive led by Godwills Masimirembwa to push for Tagwirei’s inclusion in the
central committee citing violation of party guidelines.
After
Chiwenga’s intervention, Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa came out
guns blazing, accusing the businessman of using money to buy positions and
indicated that the process to co-opt him to the central committee should be
done afresh.
In what
appeared to be an indirect response to Mutsvangwa, Chinamasa, who is the Zanu
PF secretary for legal affairs, posted a long statement on X (formerly
Twitter), where he said Tagwirei’s elevation to the central committee,
alongside four others, was a done deal.
The former
Justice minister said those opposed to the businessman’s elevation, were
motivated by jealousy and their objections had no legal basis.
Chinamasa
pulled down the post after a few hours, only to repost it in the wee hours of
the next day.
Machacha told
NewsDay in an interview over the weekend that the central committee will decide
Tagwirei’s fate since Harare province’s position was not final.
“The final
position will be made by the central committee,” he said. “That is how our
procedure works. “Provinces may make recommendations, but it is the central
committee which accepts any recommendation or makes any other decision.
“We will wait
for the central committee to make the final decision.”
The Harare
province co-opted Tagwirei to the central committee in March this year amid
talk that he was earmarked to succeed President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Chiwenga is
believed to be the front runner in the race to succeed Mnangagwa, but is
allegedly now facing stiff competition from Tagwirei, who seems to be enjoying
the Zanu PF leader’s backing in the succession race.
In the ruling
party’s politburo meeting held last Wednesday, Mutsvangwa is said to have
raised Chinamasa’s statement.
“Cde Mutsvangwa
told the President to fire him as party spokesperson if he feels that he was
not managing his duties well and replace him with Cde Chinamasa,” an insider
disclosed.
Mnangagwa did
not respond, and there was also deafening silence in the politburo to
Mutsvangwa’s charge, even from Chinamasa himself.
The confusion
forced Mnangagwa to read the riot act to individuals he accused of being
individualistic at the expense of party cohesion.
“Tactics and
political chicanery meant to mislead, confuse, as well as divide the party and
nation, must be nipped in the bud,” Mnangagwa said while addressing the
politburo last Wednesday.
“We must all
speak with one voice and march in one direction. Leaders of the party are bound
by collective responsibility and must unite around party decisions and
resolutions which serve as our ideological and moral compass.”
Mnangagwa urged
party members to communicate with discipline, as officials have been using
social media to attack each other as the power struggle intensifies.
“Our
communication must be disciplined,” he said.
Tagwirei has
been pushing to be drafted into the central committee in what observers say was
a way of positioning himself for the presidency.
He has been
pumping a lot of money, including cars, to Zanu PF officials, a move described
as buying the structures to endorse his rise.
He dished out
18 top-of-the-range vehicles to the Harare provincial executive that co-opted
him to the central committee. Newsday
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