Tagwirei's political ambitions up in smoke barred from Zanu-PF CC

Zanu-PF has formally barred controversial business tycoon Kudakwashe Tagwirei from joining its influential Central Committee, insisting he must return to the grassroots and start from the bottom if he wants to climb the party ladder.

Tagwirei's attempted elevation to the ruling party's top decision-making body in-between congresses was blocked after it was ruled that his nomination had not followed due process. The party's leadership concluded he was ineligible for co-option into the Central Committee.

Addressing a press conference at the Zanu-PF headquarters in Harare, party spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa was blunt and unapologetic in his remarks, confirming the reports while delivering a series of hard-hitting statements about the role of money in party politics.

Mutsvangwa said Tagwirei should "go back to the cell," referring to the village committee, the lowest party structure, and start from scratch if he genuinely wished to rise within Zanu-PF. He made it clear that financial muscle will not secure anyone a position in the party, warning that attempts to buy influence through backdoor deals would not be tolerated.

"Money will not buy anyone any position in the party; that will not succeed," Mutsvangwa declared. "If he wants to buy structures, he must go down to start from the cell or village committee, and then work his way up to branches, districts, and provinces for people to see if he can pay everyone to buy positions."

He further claimed that the wealth Tagwirei flaunts "belongs to Zanu-PF," arguing that the businessman owes his success to opportunities created by the ruling party. "All local businessmen associated with Zanu-PF were created by the party; they are products of the Shake Shake Building," he said, referring to the party headquarters.

Mutsvangwa warned that Zanu-PF would not risk its future by accommodating individuals who seek to manipulate party structures through money, adding that doing so would endanger the party's prospects in the 2028 elections. He stressed that the integrity of party processes had to be maintained.

Turning to broader party matters, Mutsvangwa said the upcoming Zanu-PF annual conference in Mutare from 13-18 October would address unresolved leadership questions and the controversial "2030 agenda," referring to discussions about extending President Emmerson Mnangagwa's rule beyond his current constitutional limit. Although last year's Bulawayo conference passed a resolution allowing Mnangagwa to extend his tenure, the President has publicly declared himself a constitutionalist, insisting he will not seek to overstay his term.

Mutsvangwa acknowledged there are forces within and outside Zanu-PF who never wanted Mnangagwa to assume power in the first place and still oppose his leadership. He said the next party congress, scheduled for 2027 ahead of the general elections, will definitively resolve the succession struggle within Zanu-PF.

For now, Tagwirei's political ambitions within the ruling party appear thwarted, as Zanu-PF seeks to tighten its internal discipline and avoid the dangers of patronage politics ahead of critical upcoming elections.