I’m not interested in being President — Tagwirei

Peter Matika

Senior Reporter

Businessman Dr Kudakwashe Tagwirei has emphatically refuted circulating rumours suggesting his aspirations for succession to President Mnangagwa.

Dr Tagwirei denounced these claims as utterly baseless, calling them an absurd fallacy during a speech at a Land Tenure Implementation Programme event held at the National University of Science and Technology last week.

He went on to state that there is no vacancy in the Presidency.

“My role is very clear. I have been given a mandate by the President to implement a programme and that is exactly what I am doing. Nothing more,” he said.

“It is foolish for me to look for something that doesn’t exist? Why waste my energy when there is no vacancy? There is no vacancy for the Presidency, and the President is there up to 2030, so anyone who says that are foolish in their own thinking because there is no vacancy for the Presidency.

“I am a soldier, a soldier who has been sent by the very President who is going to be there until 2030 and anyone who thinks there is a vacancy should go and sleep and wake up again because they are dreaming.”

Dr Tagwirei went on to applaud President Mnangagwa’s distinct leadership credentials, urging him to continue transforming the country to fulfil Vision 2030.

“President Mnangagwa will lead us into 2030. Vision 2030 is President Mnangagwa,” he said.

Dr Tagwirei, who chairs the Land Tenure Implementation Committee, described President Mnangagwa as a true visionary leader with an unwavering commitment to empowering citizens through the country’s natural resources.

“There are unruly elements that sought to benefit from the country’s land, manipulating systems to acquire land at a cut-rate at the expense of the citizenry,” he said.

“This was all discovered and the President too was once a victim of such ill practices and lost his land due to this.

“However, through audits and the implementation of correctional systems, that is a thing of the past.

“President Mnangagwa is a true testament of a people-oriented leader who wishes to see them benefit from their resources and our land is our future.”

Dr Tagwirei said it was evident that the country was in an era of leadership that is characterised by commitment to transparency, accountability and empowerment.

“With President Mnangagwa at the helm, the country is poised for significant growth and development,” he said.

“Since President Mnangagwa took office, the country has seen a significant increase in foreign investment and the economy has begun to show signs of recovery. With the President’s focus on empowering citizens through natural resources, this trend will likely continue and the country will experience sustained growth and development.”

Dr Tagwirei said with commitment to transparency, accountability and empowerment, the country is poised for a bright future, one that is characterised by growth, development and prosperity for all citizens.

The businessman, who was recommended for co-option into the ZANU PF Central Committee a few months ago, is expected to be a torchbearer on empowerment programmes, in line with Vision 2030, of transforming Zimbabwe into an upper middle-income economy.

That underscores the party’s strategic focus on leveraging business expertise to drive national development.

The recommendation for Dr Tagwirei’s co-option followed the death of Cde Eleuterio Mahara, who was a Central Committee member in Harare.

Harare provincial chairperson Cde Godwills Masimirembwa outlined that the Central Committee, which is responsible for co-opting new members, recognised the vacancy left by Cde Mahara and viewed Dr Tagwirei as an ideal candidate to fill the role. Cde Masimirembwa’s remarks reflect a broader vision within the party to harness the talents of business leaders to enhance its governance and economic strategies.

He noted that, consistent with President Mnangagwa’s developmental trajectory, the party aimed to attract individuals with proven business acumen.

The party is not only focused on political strategies and winning elections, but also seeks to hold discussions centred on economic development and prosperity.

The approach indicates a shift in the party’s focus towards integrating economic discussions into its political framework. Dr Tagwirei, who is known for his strategic business insights, is expected to play a pivotal role in shaping the party’s economic policies. It has been described as a crucial step in aligning ZANU PF’s objectives with the broader national development agenda.