by Gideon Madzikatidze
HARARE – President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s advisor, Paul Temptor Tungwarara’s legitimacy for the ruling ZANU-PF party membership has come under public scrutiny following the attempt by Manicaland provincial structures to parachute the controversial figure into the powerful Central Committee body, with political analysts and legal experts warning that the move further widens internal fissures as it equals to gross (party) constitutional violation and bypass.
The political contestation comes barely few days after some party officials from Manicaland province disclosed their quest to endorse and co-opt Tungwarara into filling the powerful post left by Mabika when elevated to the women’s league wing in the same province.
Political analyst, Reason Wafawaora commented on his official social media platforms that power in Zimbabwe rarely collapses because it is defeated, but collapses because it loses moral authority. Wafawarova further declared that authority without legitimacy is mere noise.
“Tungwarara’s rise was never rooted in ideology, policy or party history. It was rooted in proximity to the Presidency and control of Presidential Schemes. Boreholes, houses, solar panels and war veterans’ funds (these) were not development tools; they were political amplifiers,” Wafawarova said.
“They created an illusion of authority: that he could summon crowds, issue threats, silence dissent, and behave as if he were a parallel power centre in ZANU-PF. But here is the rule Tungwarara forgot (that) access is not legitimacy. And once legitimacy is questioned, access becomes a liability. The defining feature of Tungwarara’s recent politics has not been leadership — it has been threats,” Wafawarova added.
“Threats of expulsion, threats of political annihilation, threats wrapped in religious language and presidential name-dropping. This is always the last phase of borrowed power. Strong leaders persuade whilst weak leaders intimidate,” Wafawarova declared.
Wafawarova further claims that when intimidation becomes public, seasoned politicians smell blood, citing that it is the reason why Mugwadi did not whisper, but exploded.
“Not because Mugwadi is powerful — but because he said publicly what many inside ZANU-PF were already saying privately. Once a figure built on fear is openly challenged, the fear evaporates. And when fear goes, authority collapses overnight,” Wafawarova said.
The political analyst added that Tungwarara’s moral authority has collapsed on three fronts simultaneously including political legitimacy which attributed that he has no liberation credentials, no party lineage, no electoral history that justifies supremacy over seasoned cadres.
The second aspect is that of ethical credibility which revolves around his sudden wealth, lavish lifestyle, and association with opaque Presidential Schemes which have destroyed any claim to moral leadership.
The third and final aspect, Wafawarova claimed is the spiritual authority where he argue that a pastor who threatens violence and political purges loses the pulpit the moment he enters intimidation politics.
Meanwhile, lawyer and Buhera west legislator, Tafadzwa Mugwadi has had outburst (through his official X account) over Tungwarara’s actions claiming the Presidential advisor nonentity and nowhere nearest to party membership, a measurement for one’s legibility towards ascending to power within the party’s structures.
“You were absent from both the ballot and the party in 2018 and 2023. Now, instead of using your given opportunity to show your skill, you start seeking gun salutes and red carpets,” Mugwadi fumed.
Patrick Chinamasa who is believed by many to be ZANU-PF’s Manicaland provincial godfather has joined other powerful politicians within the party’s top rank raising gross irregularities in the intentions to co-opt Tungwarara into the central committee. This follows nullification of the co-option by the party’s national political commissar, Munyaradzi Machacha.
However, national spokesperson for the ruling ZANU-PF party, Christopher Mutsvangwa indirectly differ with other comrades where he defended that, only Politburo would determine Tungwarara’s fate, giving the Presidential advisor prospects for a second chance for political co-option trial (testing lucky).