Machakaire launches scathing personal attack on Mahere

Youth Empowerment Minister Tinoda Machakaire has launched a blistering personal attack on former opposition legislator and lawyer Fadzayi Mahere after she posted a series of pointed questions on social media about his business background and alleged links to controversial government programmes.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Mahere directly challenged Machakaire over the timeline of his business ventures and his alleged involvement in the Command Agriculture scheme, a state-sponsored farm input programme widely criticised for corruption.

"So, just to get the story straight," Mahere wrote in her post, tagging the minister directly. "Is it true that you registered Tinmac in 2007, which is the year you acquired your first truck?" she asked. She followed up with two more questions, pressing Machakaire to clarify whether he had actually bought a Rolls Royce in 2005 - before establishing his logistics company - and whether he served as Head of Logistics for the Command Agriculture programme allegedly linked to businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei.

Mahere concluded her post with a veiled political dig: "We need new leaders."

Machakaire, who is a rising figure within the ruling Zanu PF party and often touted as one of its youthful success stories, did not take the post lightly. In an extraordinary and highly personal tirade, he responded with a lengthy rebuttal - laced with insults and claims about Mahere's academic record and political history.

"I will not be detained by your nonsensical quislings," Machakaire fired back. "I am a self-made businessman who, without any tender or godfather, started my business when I was merely 20 years old - the same age you were being corruptly and forcibly foisted into the Faculty of Law at UZ despite your well-published lack of minimal entry points."

He accused Mahere of obtaining her law degree through "a stinking corrupt passage" and further claimed that she had "plummeted the reputation of the once revered UZ Faculty of Law."

Going further, Machakaire alluded to "espionage missions" and questioned Mahere's political allegiances and alleged ties to foreign interests, calling her "a corrupt to the core Humpty Dumpty advovo" and threatening to reveal alleged financial backers.

The public clash has ignited heated debate online, with supporters from both camps defending their respective political figures. Critics say the minister's response was unbecoming of a public official, especially one in charge of youth empowerment and development.

Political analysts say the exchange reflects the growing tensions between the ruling Zanu PF establishment and pro-democracy voices who are increasingly using social media platforms to challenge the ruling elite's narrative.

"Mahere's questions were legitimate and focused on issues of public interest," said one Harare-based analyst. "The minister's response was personal, vitriolic, and deflected from the substance of the queries."

While Mahere has yet to respond to Machakaire's attack, her post has already rekindled debate around state contracts, youth empowerment, and the long-standing shadow of Command Agriculture - a programme that has faced multiple allegations of mismanagement and corruption, including in the Auditor-General's reports.

This incident marks the latest in a series of escalating online spats between Zanu PF officials and opposition figures, underscoring how political discourse in Zimbabwe continues to shift into the digital battlefield - where reputations are both built and bruised in real-time.