Matemadanda set for return as ZANU-PF political commissar amid factional tensions

As political tensions escalate within the ruling ZANU PF ahead of its national conference, President Emmerson Mnangagwa is reportedly recalling Victor Matemadanda from his diplomatic post in Mozambique to reappoint him as the party's national political commissar.

The move comes amid a broader reshuffle of top party officials, including the demotion of Obert Mpofu and Patrick Chinamasa—widely interpreted as an attempt to weaken Vice President Constantino Chiwenga's faction.

Sources close to the party's Midlands structures say Matemadanda's return is imminent, with insiders describing it as a strategic repositioning rather than a promotion.

Social media commentator Chipo Musarurwa Siziba posted on X (formerly Twitter):  
"In Mnangagwa's move that reeks of desperation and internal decay, reliable sources within the Midlands Cabal confirm that Victor Matemadanda is being recalled from Mozambique to resume his role as ZANU PF Political Commissar. This is not a promotion—it's a containment strategy."

She added that the Mnangagwa faction views current commissariat head Munyaradzi Machacha as ineffective and out of sync with the party's Vision 2030 agenda.

"His flip-flopping and lack of ideological spine have left the commissariat rudderless, prompting a high-stakes reshuffle," Musarurwa Siziba wrote.

She described Matemadanda as a compromised figure, recycled not for his brilliance but for his perceived vulnerability.

"Compromised by past controversies and internal factional warfare, he is seen as controllable—a pawn, not a kingmaker. This maneuver signals more than just a personnel change. It's a factional power play designed to rewire ZANU PF's grassroots machinery ahead of 2028."

Musarurwa Siziba concluded:  
"The Mnangagwa camp is tightening its grip, not through vision, but through fear and manipulation. The question is no longer who leads—it's who controls. And in this game, loyalty is currency, and compromise is leverage. Stay alert."

The developments underscore growing internal friction within ZANU PF, as rival factions jostle for influence ahead of the party's next electoral cycle.