Zanu-PF bans car gifts

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is now the only person authorised to hand over vehicle donations within ZANU-PF, following a high-level directive aimed at curbing factionalism and limiting the influence of wealthy party affiliates allegedly positioning themselves for future leadership.

The decision was reached during a series of politburo, central committee and national consultative assembly meetings held in Harare last week, party insiders told The Standard. The ruling party has in recent months seen a surge in the gifting of vehicles  -  mostly luxury cars  -  to supporters, institutions and party leagues, a trend that has fuelled speculation about succession battles inside ZANU-PF.

Business figures such as Kudakwashe Tagwirei and Wicknell Chivayo have been at the centre of the vehicle-donation frenzy, funding hundreds of cars for senior party members including the politburo, central committee and women's league. The practice has now been halted under Mnangagwa's directive.

The proposal to tighten control was reportedly introduced by ZANU-PF national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri during the politburo meeting. She warned that the donations were being used to buy political loyalty and leverage influence, threatening party cohesion.

A senior politburo member familiar with the meeting said the room agreed that while wealthy members are welcome and may contribute resources, the distribution of such gifts must now be channelled exclusively through the party leader.

"After Muchinguri-Kashiri's proposal, the politburo agreed that ZANU-PF welcomes high-wealth individuals into its membership and structures…
But from now on, should there be any interest to support the party, it is also most welcome, but such largesse should be channelled through only the president of the party as one centre of power," the official said.

The leadership reportedly concluded that vehicle and monetary donations were deepening internal rivalries and creating power bases separate from Mnangagwa.

"The politburo affirmed that there is one centre of power in ZANU-PF and it is President ED Mnangagwa," the official added.
"The president has an audit of the overall needs of the party at any given time and is the one who can deploy any resources in a fair and worthwhile manner."

ZANU-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa declined to confirm or deny the reported ban on independent car donations and would not comment on Mnangagwa's intervention, saying only that he would respond at a press briefing.

The move comes against the backdrop of growing speculation over succession manoeuvres ahead of Mnangagwa's expected final term in office. Political analysts say centralising the distribution of campaign gifts consolidates Mnangagwa's control and restricts rising figures from building parallel loyalty networks.

With the car-donation ban now in place, attention turns to whether the ruling party can rein in factional competition  -  or whether the struggle for influence will simply evolve into new forms.