People loyal to President Emmerson Mnangagwa tried to kick Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga out during a recent central committee meeting of Zimbabwe's Zanu-PF party. Their plan failed, showing how deep the fights run inside the group. Mnangagwa's supporters dislike Chiwenga because he stands against extending the president's term until 2030. The former army leader reportedly wants the top job himself, according to party spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa, who claims the push for longer presidential terms aims to block Chiwenga.
A group within Zanu-PF wants businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei to replace Chiwenga as vice president. Tagwirei gives lots of money to the ruling party. They planned to bring him into the central committee first, then move him up later. He came ready to speak at the meeting as part of a money-raising team, but Chiwenga stopped this from happening. Party leaders said if Tagwirei had spoken, regional party branches would have started pushing to make him an official committee member.
Chiwenga looked surprised when he saw Tagwirei and another Mnangagwa friend, Paul Tungwarara, sitting in the meeting room. He asked why they attended since neither belonged to the committee. Mnangagwa passed the question to party official Munyaradzi Machacha, who explained they came to talk about fundraising. Chiwenga argued back that they should have told Machacha their ideas first, not come straight to the meeting. Guards then escorted both men out. Robson Mavhenyengwa from Masvingo province later admitted his region backed efforts to promote Tagwirei.
Mnangagwa's team wanted to use social media posts to justify removing Chiwenga. They blamed him for letting his supporters attack the president online. During the meeting, party chair Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri called social media a big danger to party unity, pointing to attacks against the president. Chiwenga fired back that the committee should create rules for everyone about social media use, not just to protect Mnangagwa. He warned that failing to control online talk might split the party badly.
Tensions keep rising between the factions. Party spokesperson, Mutsvangwa, recently attacked Chiwenga during a UK media interview. He claimed Chiwenga pressured Mnangagwa to name him as successor, which the president refused. Mutsvangwa said, "That guy wanted to be anointed to become president. You want to remove the president, but before you do, you want him to appoint you?" He added that former leader, Mugabe, used to pick his successor, but Mnangagwa believes in elections instead. These power struggles inside Zanu-PF might shape Zimbabwe politics for years as different groups fight for control before the 2028 elections.
A group within Zanu-PF wants businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei to replace Chiwenga as vice president. Tagwirei gives lots of money to the ruling party. They planned to bring him into the central committee first, then move him up later. He came ready to speak at the meeting as part of a money-raising team, but Chiwenga stopped this from happening. Party leaders said if Tagwirei had spoken, regional party branches would have started pushing to make him an official committee member.
Chiwenga looked surprised when he saw Tagwirei and another Mnangagwa friend, Paul Tungwarara, sitting in the meeting room. He asked why they attended since neither belonged to the committee. Mnangagwa passed the question to party official Munyaradzi Machacha, who explained they came to talk about fundraising. Chiwenga argued back that they should have told Machacha their ideas first, not come straight to the meeting. Guards then escorted both men out. Robson Mavhenyengwa from Masvingo province later admitted his region backed efforts to promote Tagwirei.
Mnangagwa's team wanted to use social media posts to justify removing Chiwenga. They blamed him for letting his supporters attack the president online. During the meeting, party chair Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri called social media a big danger to party unity, pointing to attacks against the president. Chiwenga fired back that the committee should create rules for everyone about social media use, not just to protect Mnangagwa. He warned that failing to control online talk might split the party badly.
Tensions keep rising between the factions. Party spokesperson, Mutsvangwa, recently attacked Chiwenga during a UK media interview. He claimed Chiwenga pressured Mnangagwa to name him as successor, which the president refused. Mutsvangwa said, "That guy wanted to be anointed to become president. You want to remove the president, but before you do, you want him to appoint you?" He added that former leader, Mugabe, used to pick his successor, but Mnangagwa believes in elections instead. These power struggles inside Zanu-PF might shape Zimbabwe politics for years as different groups fight for control before the 2028 elections.
