Mnangagwa fires Muguti after two months as Local Government Perm Sec
Exactly two months after his appointment as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, Tafadzwa Muguti has been removed from the influential post by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The announcement was made on Wednesday evening by the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Martin Rushwaya, who confirmed that Addmore Pazvakavambwa had been appointed to replace Muguti. No reasons were given for the abrupt change.
Before his latest appointment, Pazvakavambwa served as Permanent Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution in Masvingo Province.
Muguti’s departure comes amid growing public criticism over a nationwide crackdown on illegal settlements and informal trading sites. Soon after assuming office, he became the public face of an aggressive demolition campaign that saw homes and vending stalls destroyed in several parts of the country.
The demolitions left many families homeless and deprived thousands of informal traders of their livelihoods at a time when economic hardship is already weighing heavily on ordinary Zimbabweans.
The operation drew widespread condemnation from citizens, civic groups and opposition politicians, who argued that authorities were destroying people’s only sources of income without providing adequate alternatives.
Muguti became unpopular for a combination of how he spoke and what he enforced — first as Harare Provincial Development Coordinator, and later as Permanent Secretary for Local Government and Public Works.
Muguti built a reputation for a string of outspoken public remarks that drew criticism even inside ZANU PF. Former ZANU PF Youth League political commissar Godfrey Tsenengamu publicly accused him of behaving “like a street activist” rather than a senior civil servant.
That tone was a particular issue when he criticised village heads for illegally selling land — known as “sabhuku deals” — with critics taking issue with the tone he used in addressing traditional leaders.
After his removal, many commenters described him as arrogant and fond of “dzungu” — showmanship — and celebrated the decision.
His “bringing sanity” drive in Harare made him enemies across the political divide.
He threatened demolitions of upmarket houses in Arlington Estates and informal businesses, which unsettled senior ZANU PF officials. He was also accused of stifling development in Chitungwiza.
In another move that generated controversy, Muguti took a hard-line stance against street vending, repeatedly insisting that local authorities enforce by-laws and remove traders operating outside designated areas. Critics argued that the approach failed to take into account the realities of a struggling economy in which many citizens rely on informal trading to survive.
In October 2026, Muguti said cellphones should not be allowed in chiefs’ courts because confidentiality was being breached when proceedings were recorded and posted on social media. Many commenters saw the ban as unnecessary or authoritarian, while others said it removed valuable cultural education.
His comments on ancestral land and rural housing restrictions also split opinion. Many commenters attacked him as dishonest, power-abusing and out of touch, citing historical displacement and the constitutional right to reside anywhere, while others defended the idea of returning to one’s kumusha.
Questions over the demolition exercise intensified just hours before Muguti’s removal when his minister, Daniel Garwe, publicly distanced the Government from the ongoing operations.
Speaking on Wednesday, 11 November, Garwe said the demolitions were not Government policy, a statement widely interpreted as an attempt to separate the administration from a deeply unpopular programme.
The timing of Muguti’s dismissal has fuelled speculation that the controversial demolitions and the public backlash they generated may have contributed to his removal.
Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa has appointed former Deputy Finance Minister Clemence Chiduwa as Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Investment Promotion. In his new role, Chiduwa will deputise Kudakwashe Tagwirei, who heads the recently established ministry.
