Zanu-PF bigwigs plunge into war

The Zanu-PF youth league is in turmoil following a leadership reshuffle announced on Monday by the party's national secretary for youth affairs, Tinoda Machakaire. The move has resulted in a bitter clash between Machakaire and his deputy, John Paradza, with both men accusing each other of overstepping boundaries, further escalating tensions within the party.

Machakaire's reshuffle saw the removal of several elected national youth executive council members, triggering fierce opposition from Paradza. The deputy secretary claimed that he was not consulted about the changes and argued that proper procedures were not followed, leading to a standoff between the two leaders. Paradza has since instructed the affected youth executive members to disregard the reshuffle until proper instructions are issued from the party's national leadership.

In an official letter to Machakaire, Paradza pointed to the party's constitution, which he argued clearly defined the roles and responsibilities of the youth affairs secretary. "My office has received several complaints from the affected national executive members who were reshuffled from their positions without proper procedures being adhered to," Paradza said. He also sought the intervention of Zanu-PF's secretary for administration, Obert Mpofu, in resolving the issue.

Machakaire, however, rejected Paradza's objections, insisting that the reshuffle was in line with the party's constitutional requirements and aimed at fulfilling resolutions made at the national conference. In a sharply worded letter, Machakaire demanded that Paradza retract his statement or face disciplinary action. He stressed that the reshuffle was part of efforts to enhance the youth league's alignment with the 2030 national agenda, as outlined in the party's recent conference resolutions.

The reshuffle has also sparked dissent in the party's Matabeleland provinces. In a combined letter, the chairpersons of the Bulawayo, Matabeleland South, and Matabeleland North provinces expressed concerns about the changes, which they argue have marginalized their region. They pointed out that the reshuffle left the region without a full-time representative at the party's headquarters and disrupted the regional balance of power. The provincial leaders accused Machakaire of excluding Matabeleland in the decision-making process, which they believe could demoralize local youth structures.

The leadership shake-up comes amid ongoing factionalism within Zanu-PF, particularly over a proposal to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa's term from 2028 to 2030. While Mnangagwa has publicly stated that he is not interested in an extension, his supporters from provinces like Masvingo and Midlands have been mobilizing youth towards the controversial agenda. Paradza is reportedly at the forefront of this push, which has further fueled tensions within the party.

Machakaire, who also serves as the Youth, Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training minister, reshuffled the youth league in an effort to consolidate power and align the group with the 2030 national development agenda. The reshuffle included appointments of new leaders in key positions, including Tsungai Makumbe as secretary for finance and Phinias Makombe as the commissariat, among others.

However, the moves have not been well-received, with Paradza and the Matabeleland chairpersons leading the charge against the reshuffle, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing internal struggles within the ruling party.

As the youth league leadership crisis deepens, all eyes will be on how the Zanu-PF leadership addresses the conflict, especially as the party faces increasing factional divides and pressure over President Mnangagwa's potential term extension.