Charamba,Varakashi tiff escalates ahead of explosive internal power struggles

By Staff Reporter

HARARE – Presidential Spokesperson George Charamba has issued a stern public rebuke to members of ZANU PF’s digital propaganda movement, Varakashi, warning against growing factional messaging, personality cults, and the distortion of the party’s communication hierarchy.

Writing on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Charamba expressed deep concern over what he described as a drift away from the original mission of the Varakashi – a social media-based information defence unit established to protect ZANU PF, its policies, the government, and above all, the authority of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

“I am very worried with the turn of events,” Charamba wrote. “I was instrumental in the formation and management of Varakashi – a group of ideologically clear and technically savvy cadres tasked with defending the Party, its policies, and the President as the leader of both Party and Government.”

Charamba lamented that as the movement grew in influence, unofficial offshoots and affiliates began to emerge, creating what he described as “affiliates of an affiliate” – a structure he warned was dangerously unmanageable and prone to message fragmentation.

He warned that some Varakashi now demonstrate loyalty to individuals within government and the party — including presidential appointees — rather than to President Mnangagwa and the party itself. This, Charamba said, was sowing confusion and disorder within the ruling party’s digital communication strategy.

“Where such affiliates pledge loyalty to persons other than the Party, the President and Government, you begin to have multiple agendas and little loyalties which are injurious to the main line,” he said. “ZANU PF is a unitary party; it has one President and First Secretary, who is ED Mnangagwa. No other person deserves support or defence approximating what he gets or should get.”

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Charamba was particularly critical of the trend among younger Varakashi to elevate statements by junior officials — including ministers, deputy ministers, and even vice presidents — as if they were official policy pronouncements or keynote addresses. He stressed that only the President has the authority to define party policy and set the national direction.

“No subaltern pronounces policy or presents keynote addresses. Not even Vice Presidents,” he said. “All officials express policies of the Party and the President; they explain, expand or elaborate on all of those, strictly on behalf of the President who appoints and sends them.”

The strongly worded post is the clearest sign yet of rising concern within the Presidency over internal communication indiscipline and the risk of power centres emerging around high-profile officials, which could undermine Mnangagwa’s authority as the sole leader of ZANU PF.

Political analysts say Charamba’s warning may also be aimed at growing personality cults within the party’s online ranks, where some government officials are receiving disproportionate praise, fuelling speculation about internal succession jockeying.

“This is not just about Twitter,” said one ZANU PF strategist. “It’s about maintaining a tight grip on the party narrative ahead of what promises to be a contentious succession season. Any decentralisation of loyalty or messaging could be dangerous.”

Charamba concluded with an appeal for discipline and unity: “We need tidiness on that front. Please! That must stop forthwith!”

The post serves as a reminder that while ZANU PF remains dominant in national politics, internal control over messaging — especially in the age of social media — remains a critical battlefield in the ongoing power dynamics within the ruling party.