Zanu PF spokesman says tycoon’s ‘uninformed ambition’ shows he’s not ready for party leadership
By Staff Reporter | 08 Jul 2025
HARARE – Zanu PF spokesman Christopher Mutsvangwa has taken a direct swipe at millionaire businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei, declaring that the party benefactor is “not ready” for senior leadership and should begin his political education at the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology.
Mutsvangwa’s comments come after Tagwirei was unceremoniously removed from the Zanu PF Central Committee meeting on July 3, where he had shown up prematurely without formal ratification of his co-option into the powerful party organ.
Speaking to The Standard, Mutsvangwa accused Tagwirei of “uninformed ambition” and breaching party procedure by assuming he could simply walk into the Central Committee without following protocol.
“Whether it was for lack of proper advice from the Harare provincial leadership or personal ambition, he assumed it would be a headlong stampede,” Mutsvangwa said.
“It was procedurally wrong. The constitution had to be read out to him that he is not yet a member and that he is entering an institution guided by principles and rules.”
Tagwirei, who made his fortune through state-linked contracts and is widely seen as Zanu PF’s most significant financial backer, had accepted a recommendation from the Harare provincial executive for co-option into the Central Committee. But that proposal has yet to be formally ratified.
His attendance at the Central Committee was reportedly blocked by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who insisted the matter was not on the agenda and would have to wait for a future meeting potentially three months away.
Mutsvangwa did not mince his words, saying: “It shows that he’s not ready to be part of it. He may have to go back and understand where he is. His behaviour flouted the constitution and the tenets of the party.”
The outspoken spokesman added: “This ignorance or naivety indicates that his beginning should be the Chitepo School of Ideology. That is where one learns the guiding principles of Zanu PF.”
Mutsvangwa and Chiwenga both considered senior figures in the succession race to President Emmerson Mnangagwa have expressed open resistance to Tagwirei’s attempt to parachute into the party’s top structures using his financial muscle.
Chiwenga has previously labelled Tagwirei and other politically connected businessmen as zvigananda profiteers who have exploited state tenders for personal gain, to the detriment of Zimbabwe’s economy.
For now, Tagwirei’s political ambitions face major headwinds from within the very party he bankrolls.
