’Have table manners’ – Temba Mliswa savages Mutsvangwa
Former Norton MP Temba Mliswa has accused ZANU-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa of lacking “table manners” in his attacks on billionaire Kudakwashe Tagwirei, whose co-option into the party’s Central Committee has sparked fierce controversy.
In a July 23, 2025, X post, Mliswa charged that Mutsvangwa and other elites are hypocrites for accepting Tagwirei’s donations—over 300 vehicles and fuel for Politburo members—while criticizing his rise. “He must not eat and talk at the same time,” Mliswa wrote, defending Tagwirei’s open support for ZANU-PF.
Tagwirei, a Sakunda Holdings tycoon, was recommended for the Central Committee in March 2025 but faced resistance from Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who ejected him from a July 3 meeting for attending prematurely.
Mutsvangwa cited party rules, but Mliswa argued the constitution allows waivers, accusing him of using procedure as a “smokescreen” to block Tagwirei’s ascent due to his own leadership ambitions. On July 30, the Politburo approved Tagwirei’s co-option, pending formal adoption.
The saga has exposed ZANU-PF’s factional divides ahead of the 2028 succession race, with Tagwirei’s wealth fueling speculation of presidential backing to counter Chiwenga’s influence.
Critics, including a 2023 US Treasury report, accuse Tagwirei of leveraging state contracts for undue influence, while his role as a Seventh-day Adventist elder has drawn mixed reactions from church leaders. As tensions simmer, Tagwirei’s financial clout continues to reshape ZANU-PF’s power dynamics, raising questions about the party’s future.
