The Talk of Elder Tagwirei Being a Preferred Successor Is a Miscarriage of the Truth

By Kudzai Makuku

We must stand united in defence of our President and First Secretary of ZANU PF, His Excellency Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa.

Recent rumours circulating in certain quarters suggesting that Elder Kudakwashe Tagwirei is the President’s preferred successor represent nothing short of a gross distortion of truth, a complete misreading of both history and reality.

The facts, when examined with honesty and objectivity, tell a very different story.

I continue to hear claims from some corners that Elder Tagwirei is being groomed to take over from the President.

This notion is not only unfounded but also illogical, a baseless assumption lacking any factual or political grounding, and inconsistent with the revolutionary party’s norms and traditions.

People must not confuse the President’s engagement with business leaders, entrepreneurs, and patriotic investors as an indication of political favouritism.

His outreach to the business community is an act of national stewardship, not succession politics.

The President understands that a strong economy is the foundation of a strong nation.

His interactions with influential figures in commerce are motivated by a desire to build Zimbabwe’s economic resilience, not to anoint anyone as his political heir.

The President is a master strategist, a good chess player who knows exactly where to place his pieces.

It must be acknowledged that Elder Tagwirei is indeed a patriotic Zimbabwean who has made immense contributions to the nation and to the Party.

His personal sacrifices, including being placed under illegal Western sanctions due to his steadfast support for Zimbabwe’s sovereignty, deserve recognition.

However, inserting his name into succession debates and branding him as a preferred successor is, quite frankly, misplaced, mischievous, and politically reckless.

While his continued financial and moral support to the country and the Party is commendable, it cannot and must not be mistaken for a transaction in exchange for the Presidency.

The revolutionary Party’s deep-rooted culture and principles will never bend to such a narrow or transactional view of leadership.

Leadership succession in our Party has never been determined by wealth, business influence, or social standing.

It is anchored on a far deeper foundation: trust, loyalty, integrity, sacrifice, and shared struggle.This is where many commentators lose sight of reality.

To defend our President, our leader, our father, our Commander-in-Chief, we must reject falsehoods and confront propaganda with facts. Silence in the face of lies is complicity, and we must not allow false narratives to sow division within our ranks.

Those who entertain these rumours must ask themselves, where do these stories come from, and whose agenda do they serve?

If we were to accept every unverified claim, tomorrow we might wake up to gossip that another wealthy individual, perhaps Sir Wicknell (Madzibaba), has suddenly become the chosen one.

Such rumours must be confronted and silenced. We must cut the legs from falsehoods before they learn to stand.

Let us be absolutely clear, if ever the President were to have a preferred successor, both history and political logic point firmly towards the Presidium.

In politics, as in business, leadership succession is guided by trustworthiness, consistency, courage, and proven loyalty.

One entrusts continuity to those who have stood the test of time, those who have demonstrated unwavering allegiance and reliability.

And when we look closely, it is evident that these qualities are most profoundly embodied in the current two Vice Presidents, Vice President Constantino G.D.N. Chiwenga and Vice President Kembo C.D. Mohadi.

Let me use Vice President Chiwenga as an example to stress this point.

The bond between the President and Vice President Chiwenga is not one of convenience; it is a relationship forged in the furnace of struggle, sacrifice, and shared destiny.

Their brotherhood has been tested through adversity and strengthened by the trials of leadership.

Time and again, they have stood shoulder to shoulder, two comrades united by loyalty and bound by a shared vision for Zimbabwe’s prosperity and sovereignty.

Let us never forget the defining moments that shaped this alliance.

During the Gwanda poisoning incident, it was then-General Chiwenga who took swift and decisive action, arranging the emergency evacuation that ultimately saved the President’s life, an act publicly acknowledged by the President himself with deep gratitude.

That moment symbolised more than friendship; it was an expression of trust and fraternal commitment.

Again, in November 2017, when the nation faced uncertainty and the President was forced into temporary exile, it was VP Chiwenga who stood firm.

With courage and clarity of purpose, he led Operation Restore Legacy, not for personal gain, but to defend constitutional order, the dignity of his leader, and the sovereignty of the Republic.

He risked everything, his career, his safety, and his future, in the service of loyalty, patriotism, and stability.

Such acts cannot be reduced to political convenience; they are testaments of enduring faith and brotherhood.

Theirs is a bond born not of opportunism but of shared struggle and mutual respect, tested, proven, and reaffirmed through history.

Therefore, those who promote alternative theories must reconcile their rumours with reality.

The President and his Vice Presidents share a partnership built on trust, discipline, and unity of purpose.

In every critical moment of modern Zimbabwean history, Vice President Chiwenga has stood firmly by the President, not out of ambition, but out of conviction.

That record speaks louder than wealth, louder than speculation, and louder than manufactured gossip.

It speaks of loyalty that endures the test of time, of leadership grounded in sacrifice, and of comradeship that cannot be shaken by whispers or rumours.

Let us, therefore, remain vigilant and united behind our President and the Presidium.

The future of the Party and the nation depends not on idle talk, but on unity, loyalty, and a shared commitment to our collective destiny.

United we stand, loyal we remain, for the Party, for the President, and for Zimbabwe.