HARARE – Escalating infighting within ZANU-PF is increasingly being framed not as an ideological or policy dispute, but as a fierce struggle between politically connected business figures jostling for control of lucrative government tenders, fuel import deals and alleged gold mining interests operating under the cover of presidential programmes.
At the centre of the storm are rival camps linked to powerful businessmen said to enjoy proximity to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, with claims and counterclaims now spilling into the public arena. The fallout has exposed what critics describe as an unregulated ecosystem of “presidential schemes” through which access to state contracts, strategic resources and preferential deals is allegedly brokered.
The latest public confrontation follows warnings issued by Tafadzwa Muguti, a presidential secretary, who signalled death threats on his life and said he would fight back against what he described as coordinated attacks by rival interests. His remarks have been widely interpreted as a direct challenge to businessmen operating within Mnangagwa’s orbit, notably Paul Tungwarara, a rival of Kudakwashe Tagwirei, whose names have repeatedly surfaced in controversies linked to state-linked projects.
Political analysts say the dispute reflects a broader scramble for economic dominance as succession politics intensify and the president’s remaining time in office narrows. “This is no longer about party ideology or liberation credentials,” said a Harare-based political economy analyst. “It is about who controls fuel import licences, who secures infrastructure tenders, and who has access to gold-producing zones under the banner of national or presidential initiatives.”
Tagwirei, one of the ruling party’s most prominent financiers, has in recent years expanded his footprint across fuel supply, agriculture, mining and finance. While he is credited by supporters with helping stabilise strategic sectors during periods of sanctions and foreign currency shortages, critics accuse him of crowding out competitors and leveraging political proximity to dominate state-backed deals.
Former legislator Temba Mliswa, a long-time critic of opaque mining and procurement arrangements, has also been drawn into the widening confrontation. Mliswa is linked to the presidential schemes masking commercial interests, particularly in gold-rich areas and riverbeds where “rehabilitation” or “development” projects are allegedly doubling as mining operations.
Fuel import deals have always been another flashpoint. Zimbabwe’s past chronic fuel shortages and reliance on offshore credit lines have made fuel supply one of the most lucrative and politically sensitive sectors turning Tagwirei, who is the President’s business ally into a billionare. Competing interests within ZANU-PF are reportedly fighting for control of these arrangements, which involve access to foreign currency, government guarantees and strategic infrastructure.
Insiders say the presidency has increasingly become a battleground for these rival networks, each seeking exclusive endorsement for projects branded as national priorities.
“Once something is labelled a presidential scheme, scrutiny drops, institutions step aside, and the money flows,” said one senior party official who spoke on condition of anonymity. “That is why the fighting is so vicious.”
The public nature of the disputes has raised alarm within ZANU-PF, a party historically adept at containing internal conflicts behind closed doors. Observers warn that unchecked competition among business-linked factions risks not only undermining party cohesion but also eroding the authority of the presidency itself.
While the government has consistently denied allegations of corruption and insists that all projects are subject to due process, pressure is mounting for greater transparency around presidential initiatives, mining concessions and state procurement.
As the gloves come off, analysts say the real contest within ZANU-PF is becoming increasingly clear: not over who leads the party, but over who controls the economic levers of the state in a post-Mnangagwa era.
