Mnangagwa takes sole charge of Zanu-PF vehicle donations

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is now the only ZANU-PF official authorised to hand over vehicle donations, following a new party directive aimed at curbing internal power contests and the growing influence of wealthy benefactors linked to succession speculation, party insiders have revealed.

The directive — reportedly endorsed during a series of high-level meetings in Harare between Wednesday and Friday last week — is meant to centralise political philanthropy under one authority and stem what senior figures view as factional mobilization disguised as generosity.

The decision follows months of extravagant vehicle donations to ZANU-PF members by powerful business figures and political elites, a trend that had begun to shape internal rivalries, particularly around the race to succeed the 83-year-old Mnangagwa.

Party sources told The Standard that President Mnangagwa instructed that all future vehicle donations to party structures must be processed through his office alone. The move followed a proposal tabled by ZANU-PF chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri during the politburo meeting.

Muchinguri-Kashiri is said to have expressed concern that some individuals were using resources to buy influence and position themselves for advancement, effectively turning philanthropy into a political bargaining tool.

"The politburo affirmed that there is one centre of power in ZANU-PF and it is President ED Mnangagwa," a senior official said.
"Vehicle and money donations were becoming divisive. From now on, any support must be channelled through the president, who will deploy resources fairly and in line with party needs."

The directive appears to close the door on independent car-donation initiatives, which in recent months have seen businessmen such as Kudakwashe Tagwirei and Wicknell Chivayo hand out vehicles to politburo members, women's league structures and provincial officials.

The clampdown also follows Vice President Constantino Chiwenga's public call last month for the arrest of businessmen accused of donating cars allegedly purchased using state or party funds. Some within ZANU-PF viewed the donations as part of a wider attempt to court loyalties ahead of an anticipated leadership transition.

Sources say Mnangagwa used last week's meetings to reprimand new and ambitious party members whom he accused of disregarding protocol and positioning themselves above party procedures.

A politburo member said Mnangagwa warned against the rise of what he termed nherwamukono — individuals who, once elevated into central structures, behave as power centres in their own right.

"New members must learn decorum and proper conduct," the insider quoted him saying.
"Those joining the central committee should not bring outside agendas."

ZANU-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa recently hinted that the president was concerned about shadow-campaigning for leadership positions, in what many interpreted as a veiled message to Tagwirei, who has denied harbouring presidential ambitions.

Mnangagwa is constitutionally expected to leave office in 2028, but senior party members are mulling a two-year extension — a proposal reportedly opposed by factions aligned to Chiwenga.

Tagwirei is viewed by some as a rising power broker within ZANU-PF, and his philanthropy-driven outreach has fed speculation of an alternative succession path. With Mnangagwa now assuming full control of party donations, observers say resource mobilisation may increasingly become a test of loyalty alignment.

During Friday's National Consultative Assembly session, Mnangagwa reportedly surprised delegates by chanting "Pasi neZviganda" — a slogan previously popularised by Chiwenga to denounce individuals accused of accumulating wealth through state contracts.

The remark has already stirred debate over the president's target and intent.

Contacted for comment yesterday, ZANU-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa declined to confirm or deny the donation ban, saying he would address the media at a press briefing.

For now, the message from party leadership appears clear: Mnangagwa remains the singular authority over political largesse, and ZANU-PF is moving to rein in parallel power networks as succession undercurrents intensify.

Whether the new rule will restore party cohesion — or simply deepen internal rivalry — remains to be seen as Zimbabwe edges closer to its next leadership transition.