Temba Mliswa has weighed in on the controversy surrounding businessman Kuda Tagwirei’s alleged co-option into ZANU PF, defending Patrick Chinamasa’s legal posture and warning against factional interference.
This follows a social media storm triggered by Chinamasa’s deleted and reposted tweet confirming Tagwirei’s role and subsequent reactions from Saviour Kasukuwere, who mocked the early-morning post, and Susan Mutami, who claimed Zimbabwe was on track for a one-party state.
Mliswa, however, adopted a sober legalistic tone, portraying Chinamasa as a “seasoned cadre and constitutionalist” whose statements reflect the authentic position of the ruling party.
“Chinamasa is a seasoned party cadre… His recent statements are anchored in law and fact, standing in stark contrast to the emotionally charged rhetoric previously expressed by Mutsvangwa,” Mliswa said on X (formerly Twitter).
He dismissed claims of factional manipulation, stating that once a co-option is endorsed at the provincial level, there is “minimal room for debate at central authority.”
“There was a juncture where intervention could have been possible, yet it was not exercised,” he wrote. “These decisions make for done deals.”
The former Norton MP contrasted Chinamasa’s constitutionalist approach with what he described as faction-driven ambitions, saying figures like Christopher Mutsvangwa acted out of personal interest rather than party consensus.
