A social media post that referred to Zanu PF central committee member Kudakwashe Tagwirei as “HE” has re-ignited fierce debate about President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s succession and the businessman’s ambitions.
Pretty Mlalazi, the wife of Tagwirei’s close associate Everton Mlalazi, posted a picture of the businessman holding his wife and captioned it “About tonight, HE naamai.”
Zimbabweans online were quick to make political conclusions that the businessman was eyeing Mnangagwa’s post.
They drew parallels to a January 2017 incident when Mnangagwa, then vice president, appeared in a picture on social media in which he held a coffee mug inscribed "I am the boss".
His critics in Zanu PF including now exiled minister Jonathan Moyo interpreted the picture as a “power grab narrative”.
Several months later, Mnangagwa emerged as the president following the ouster of his predecessor Robert Mugabe in a military coup.
Critics argued that Mlalazi’s post confirmed long- held suspicions that Tagwirei was harbouring presidential ambitions, claims he has neither publicly confirmed nor denied..
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Tagwirei’s allies moved to defend him, dismissing the backlash as a deliberate misreading of the post.
They argued that “HE” did not mean “His Excellency” in that setting, but rather “head elder,” a leadership role within the SDA Church.
"Kuda Tagwirei is a businessman and the country's biggest investor," Zanu PF supporter Rutendo Matinyarare argued on X.
“He has no ambitions to be president, and more critically, there's no vacancy for the position as Zimbabwe has one centre of power under Zanu PF's first secretary, President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
“Zanu PF resolutions have chosen one leader until 2030."
However, the explanation was widely rejected by senior SDA figures, including prominent lawyer Thabani Mpofu, who is also a member of the church.
“That’s illiterate crap. There’s nothing like that in the SDA church,” Mpofu told The Standard.
“I was born in the SDA church and it was only yesterday that I first heard that there’s something called an HE.
“I have been a leader for years — during my expired good years — and I can assure you that this is foreign to my church.
“I just hope that people learn to craft their defences without dragging the name of the church in the mud.
“It is also vitally important that the church distances itself from this damaging buffoonery. It is a duty!”
Another social media user, one Mkhululi Khumalo said: “Elders are not addressed as HE. They are simply called elder.”
Tagwirei did not respond to questions sent to him over the matter.
At a Celestial 2025- 2026 Crossover Night at HICC hosted by Tagwirei and his wife, members of his inner circle addressed him as president, a source said.
“Most of the people around him were addressing him as president, maybe he has such a title again in this church…,” a church member who is also a Zanu PF member alleged.
Tagwirei last year held political meetings in Harare and Masvingo where he made several policy announcements.
This triggered a backlash from party spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa who warned him against having presidential ambitions.
Despite Tagwirei’s backers coming in their numbers on social media to defend him, Zimbabwe on social media insisted this was a political statement.
