HARARE – The ruling Zanu PF party’s long-simmering succession battle is spilling into the open, with youths in the capital chanting “Pasi ne Wedza!”—Shona for “Down with Wedza,” a nickname for Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga—during a weekend rally. The slogan, shouted repeatedly by groups of young party activists, underscores intensifying factional hostilities as Zanu PF heads toward a decisive elective congress in 2027.
Party insiders say the chants were not spontaneous but a calculated show of force by rivals seeking to sideline Chiwenga, long viewed as the natural heir to President Emmerson Mnangagwa. The Vice-President, a former army commander who played a pivotal role in the 2017 military intervention that ousted Robert Mugabe, now faces a growing challenge from business magnate Dr Kudakwashe Tagwirei, a billionaire financier with deep pockets and strong links to the party’s patronage networks.
“The gloves are off,” a senior Zanu PF provincial leader told The Zimbabwemail, requesting anonymity for fear of reprisals. “Youths don’t just chant that without clearance. It signals a coordinated campaign to weaken Chiwenga’s grip ahead of congress.”
Mnangagwa, who is constitutionally required to step down after the 2028 general elections unless the party amends the law, has not named a successor. But the president has recently consolidated his own power, fuelling speculation that he may seek to extend his rule beyond the current two-term limit—an ambition that complicates the Chiwenga-Tagwirei rivalry.
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>COZWVA! Here it Goes! <br>"Pasi ne Wedza!" Meaning , "Down with VP Chiwenga"<br>This is coming from Zanu-PF yths in Harare as Zanu-PF succession battle turns nasty. <br><br>Zanu-PF is going for an elective congress in 2027. So far, Dr Kudakwashe Tagwirei & VP Chiwenga are the front runners <a href=”https://t.co/QjUjDtjNt1″>pic.twitter.com/QjUjDtjNt1</a></p>— COZWVA (@cozwva) <a href=”https://twitter.com/cozwva/status/1969788010444226969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>September 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
Analysts note that Tagwirei’s emergence as a potential contender is remarkable. Known for his vast influence in the fuel, mining and banking sectors, Tagwirei has bankrolled major Zanu PF campaigns and remains under U.S. and U.K. sanctions for alleged corruption and state capture. His wealth gives him leverage among party structures eager for resources as the 2028 elections approach.
“Tagwirei represents the power of money in Zimbabwean politics,” said political analyst Eldred Masunungure. “Chiwenga, on the other hand, commands loyalty in the security sector. Their rivalry pits financial muscle against military influence—a combustible mix in a party historically defined by liberation war credentials.”
Factional tensions have already produced public flashpoints. Last month, pro-Chiwenga war veterans complained of being marginalised in key appointments, while Mnangagwa loyalists pushed resolutions at provincial meetings supporting a constitutional amendment to allow the president to stay on until at least 2030.
As the 2027 congress looms, observers warn that Zanu PF’s succession struggle could destabilise the party and the nation. “These chants are more than youthful bravado,” Masunungure added. “They reflect a brewing confrontation over who controls the state once Mnangagwa’s tenure ends—or is extended. The stakes could not be higher.”
For now, the president has remained silent on the “Pasi ne Wedza” outburst, but his response—or lack of it—may signal where his sympathies lie in a battle that could shape Zimbabwe’s political future for years to come.
