Chinamasa deletes tweet confirming Tagwirei's appointment

ZANU PF Legal Secretary Patrick Chinamasa has deleted a tweet in which he had declared controversial businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei's appointment to the party's Central Committee as "over and irreversible," further deepening speculation over internal divisions within Zimbabwe's ruling party.

Chinamasa's now-deleted tweet stated that Tagwirei, a prominent ZANU PF benefactor and businessman accused by critics of using wealth to buy political influence, had been co-opted into the powerful Central Committee following a recommendation by the Harare Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC). The move, he said, was final and could not be reversed.

The announcement sparked fresh debate online and within party circles, as Tagwirei's co-option has long been a flashpoint of contention within ZANU PF. Reports suggest that a faction opposed to Tagwirei, allegedly aligned with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, has been actively resisting his rise in the party's hierarchy.

In a subsequent statement posted on social media, Chinamasa attempted to clarify the situation, doubling down on the legality and finality of Tagwirei's appointment despite deleting his initial message.

"The ZANU PF Department of Legal Affairs is relieved and takes note that the furore/controversy/confusion/wrangle/much ado about nothing/social media hype/misinformation/disinformation that surrounded Harare PCC's co-option of Cde Kudakwashe Tagwirei into the ZANU PF Central Committee is now over and irreversibly settled," he wrote.

Chinamasa outlined the process, stating that Harare PCC had convened on March 31, 2025, and recommended Tagwirei's appointment in a formal letter addressed to ZANU PF Secretary General Dr. Obert Mpofu. He also emphasized that such provincial recommendations have historically been treated as final, and that this is the first time a co-option has stirred public and internal controversy.

"We have never had to debate, let alone discuss, PCC recommendations of co-options into the Central Committee," Chinamasa said. "The only explanation why the Tagwirei co-option has attracted such controversy may be because there are people out there who, for reasons best known to themselves, have an axe to grind."

However, Chinamasa's affirmation directly contradicts earlier remarks by ZANU PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa, who dismissed Tagwirei's attempts to enter the party's inner sanctum, saying his "bribe" would not succeed. The contrasting positions have further exposed rifts in the party's senior ranks.

Tagwirei, often described as a close ally of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, is widely believed to be laying the groundwork for a potential presidential run. His growing political involvement is seen as a strategic move to secure long-term influence, putting him on a potential collision course with other power centers in the party, particularly the faction led by Chiwenga.

While Chinamasa defended Tagwirei's "commitment to ZANU PF" and described the backlash as "undeserved," his tone suggested unease over the optics and reaction the appointment has provoked.

As the ruling party edges closer to internal elections and a possible leadership reshuffle, Tagwirei's controversial co-option underscores the rising tensions within ZANU PF—and the growing influence of wealth in shaping Zimbabwe's political future.