By Staff Reporter
HARARE – Just days after controversial businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei was unceremoniously ejected from a ZANU-PF Central Committee meeting, the ruling party’s Harare provincial leadership is already manoeuvring behind the scenes to engineer his return – this time with a new strategy.
On Thursday, 3 July 2025, Tagwirei — widely viewed as a close ally of President Emmerson Mnangagwa — appeared poised to be co-opted into the powerful Central Committee on the recommendation of the Harare provincial executive. However, the attempt collapsed dramatically after senior party members objected, citing the absence of a formal endorsement from the Politburo. Tagwirei was promptly asked to leave the meeting.
Undeterred by the setback, the Harare provincial executive is now plotting an alternative route to secure his inclusion in the party’s top echelons. Sources say the province will convene a meeting on Sunday, 6 July, at Batanai Primary School in Epworth to devise a revised strategy aimed at positioning Tagwirei within the Central Committee through an internal leadership reshuffle.
“The plan is now to create a vacancy in the Harare top six and appoint Tagwirei so that he can then be seconded to the Central Committee,” a senior provincial official told reporters on condition of anonymity.
According to party insiders, the target of this political restructuring is George Chimhini, the current provincial secretary for finance. Provincial chairperson Goodwills Masimirembwa and his faction are said to be working to push Chimhini out to make space for Tagwirei’s appointment.
But observers say the manoeuvre is about more than just Tagwirei’s personal ambitions. Chimhini is believed to be related to Sports Minister Anselem Sanyatwe, a key ally of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga. As such, the move is being interpreted by some within the party as part of a broader effort by Mnangagwa loyalists to neutralise the influence of Chiwenga’s faction and tighten control over ZANU-PF’s internal machinery.
Despite persistent speculation, Tagwirei has publicly denied any interest in entering the presidential race or challenging Chiwenga.
“I am not in the race to succeed anyone,” he recently told reporters, dismissing rumours of a deeper succession plot.
Still, Tagwirei’s proximity to power, his extensive business interests — including lucrative state contracts and control over fuel supply chains — and his vast financial resources continue to stir tensions within the ruling party. Critics argue that his growing influence threatens to reshape ZANU-PF’s internal dynamics, especially in the context of looming succession battles.
Sunday’s meeting in Epworth is now shaping up to be a pivotal moment — not only for Tagwirei’s political aspirations but also for the broader future of ZANU-PF’s leadership as internal rivalries intensify ahead of 2028.
