President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s advisor Paul Tungwarara’s unrestrained attack on rival businessman Kudwakwashe Tagwirei has exposed deepening divisions among the 83 year old ruler’s camp as the fight over his succession intensifies.
Tungwarara, without referring to Tagwirei by name at a rally in Manicaland on Saturday, claimed that the Sakunda owner who is said to habour presidential ambitions has pressured Mnangagwa to fire his vice presidents, some of his ministers and other senior civil servants.
He claimed that the businessman had also tried to drive a wedge between controversial tenderpreneurs Scott Sakupwanya and Wicknell Chivayo.
“When it started, it was my brother Scott who was scolded for being close to the president,” Tungwarara said.
“When someone finds grace, you should be happy because the grace can extend to you.
“When he is seated there (close to Mnangagwa) they say why is he seated there, he should be removed.
“His blue suit is for rituals. I am saying something that I heard them say.”
“Don’t provoke me, I will expose you.
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“Then comes Chivhayo after he made money out of his contracts, you say he is a thief, he should be removed.
“We thought it was jealousy, but it did not end there, you say Tungwarara has made money. We keep quiet and we see the person going up the ladder.
“He goes to permanent secretaries, this one should be removed I don’t like him, so is this one, from there, deputy ministers, then ministers. “What kind of a person is this?”
He said the businessman lied that one of the VPs was a thief, but did not mention the name.
Tagwirei has been at loggerheads with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who is seen as Mnangagwa’s likely successor.
On the other hand Chiwenga has called for the arrest of both Tungwarara and Tagwirei for allegedly looting from the state.
“From there, he goes to chief secretaries and then says VP is a thief, saying that after meeting the president, you will think he got it from him,” Tungwarara added.
“This would be a lie, don’t be misled by these malcontents.
“Then finally he says we want the two VPs to be fired, you want to be left alone.”
The remarks drew a fierce response from some Zanu PF officials on social media with the ruling party’s commissar for Harare province Taurai Kandishaya accused Tungwarara of operating like a Selous Scout.
Kandishaya, a known Tagwirei loyalist, said Mngangagwa’s advisor must immediately enrol at the Hebert Chitepo School of ideology to learn discipline.
“Does he know we're in recruitment mode? I had to check the last time he brought investors into the country, as per his mandate,” he posted on Facebook.
“Seems like investors lost trust in him, hence this rush to wield some internal power so as to solidify name-dropping in the UAE.”
He added: “Where is he taking the script to cause confusion and disruption in the party? Was he not appointed presidential investment advisor to the United Arab Emirates only and Manicaland is not part of the UAE.”
Kandishaya also claimed that Tungwarara’s utterances were a confession that he was working with war veteran Blessed Geza, who has been demanding Mnangagwa’s resignation for alleged corruption and incompetence.
“As a commissar who interacts with people daily, this middleman's agenda is no good for the party.
“I recommend Herbert Chitepo School Of Ideology for him as soon as possible. I propose a repair rally in Nyanga to clear confusion among our loyal party members who voted for us in 2023.”
”It's time he relinquishes the advisor title so that politicians engage him without feeling like they're challenging President ED Mnangagwa.”
In the past few weeks Tagwirei has been under pressure over his alleged presidential ambitions.
A social media post by his relative Pretty Mlalazi two weeks ago set toungues wagging, with observers saying it exposed his ambition to take over power.
Tagwirei has also been hoping from meeting to meeting in Harare soon after his elevation to the Zanu central committee, making controversial policy announcements and moving with convoys.
