By Agencies
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has moved to clip his adviser Paul Tungwarara’s wings after he reprimanded him for using divisive language at his rallies, where he has been launching scathing attacks on his rivals.
Last weekend, Tungwarara went on a tirade against Zanu PF central committee member and party benefactor Kudakwashe Tagwirei, whom he accused of pressuring Mnangagwa to fire Vice-Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi.
He was addressing a rally in Nyanga, where he splashed cash on two Zanu PF constituencies.
A reliable source said the President was not amused by his investment adviser’s utterances, which have attracted rebuke from some prominent Zanu PF leaders like deputy national youth league political commissar Taurai Kandishaya and Buhera West MP Tafadzwa Mugwadi.
Mnangagwa, who is on leave until next month, is said to have met Tungwarara this week.
“He told him plainly that he was not more important than Tagwirei and he shouldn’t compare what he has done for him to what KT [Tagwirei] has done,”the source said.
“He was asked to focus on his role of investment adviser if being a politician is a challenge to him.
“He was also told to stop addressing rallies if he doesn’t have the skill to speak unifying words to the supporters rather than dividing the movement.”
At the weekend rally, Tungwarara also took a swipe at Uebert Angel, who on Monday posted his pictures on X (formerly Twitter) with Mnangagwa.
Angel, who is the President’s special envoy to the Americas and Europe, on Monday, said he had accompanied the83-year-old ruler to a “special engagement”.
In his address, Tungwarara kept reminding the crowd that he was speaking as the adviser to the President and has privileged information.
He said he was aware of the alleged plots and counter plots by Tagwirei and his associates, accusing them of plotting against his boss.
He accused the multimillionaire of blocking those he did not agree with from being close to Mnangagwa.
However, the reliable source said Mnangagwa reminded Tungwarara of the journey he has traversed with the mining magnate.
“The President had to tell him that they have come from far and nothing will separate them,” the source said.
“Not lies or misinformation peddled by Tungwarara today or any other day will change that.”
Tungwarara also complained that Tagwirei was grabbing most opportunities using his proximity to Mnangagwa.
This is despite the fact that he himself has come under scrutiny over the multi-million-dollar government contracts awarded to his Prevail group of companies.
Some of the projects his companies have been awarded without going to tender include rehabilitation of hospitals and rivers, and drilling of boreholes.
Tungwarara did not respond to several calls for a comment on the latest development.
Mnangagwa’s spokesperson George Charamba refused to comment.
Tafadzwa Muguti, the secretary for Presidential Affairs and Devolution in the Office of the President, appeared to be taking aim at Tungwarara in a viral audio this week.
Muguti dismissed claims that the businessman’s company had been given sole rights to rehabilitate riverbeds destroyed by illegal mining across Zimbabwe.
He insinuated that he was being threatened by Tungwarara or his associates.
Credit: NewsDay
