By Munachho Gwamanda-Zanu PF, legal affairs boss Patrick Chinamasa has fired six members of the Varakashi4ED.
The social media unit, is a group of internet trolls hired by the ruling party to attack its opponents and shape online discourse in favour of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Chinamasa, who serves as the executive director of the Varakashi4ED Social Media Unit, announced the dismissals in a letter dated February 11, 2025, addressed to the party’s national political commissar, Munyaradzi Machacha.
Chinamasa revealed that the decision followed a high-level meeting with Mnangagwa on February 3 to discuss disciplinary concerns within the unit.
“On February 3, 2025, I met with His Excellency, the President and First Secretary of Zanu PF, Cde Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa, to discuss disciplinary issues within the Varakashi4ED Social Media Unit, which I lead as the executive director,” Chinamasa wrote. “After reviewing serious infractions by rogue elements who attacked the unit’s leadership and senior party officials, the following recommendations were made…”
As a result, Jonasi Mandiwisa Musara, Tafadzwa Mawire, Tinotenda Gachange, Felix Muzondo, Pardon Mangwende, and Herbert Mathe were permanently removed from the Varakashi4ED Social Media Unit.
Chinamasa also informed Machacha that Norman Mbimbi would now serve as the administrator of Varakashi4ED, while Dereck Goto would take on the role of director of operations.
He emphasized that the unit was established under Mnangagwa’s directive ahead of the 2023 harmonized elections.
The latest purge within the ruling party’s online propaganda arm highlights deepening divisions in Zanu PF, particularly the ongoing power struggle between Mnangagwa and his deputy, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.
Since orchestrating the 2017 coup that ousted Robert Mugabe, the two men have maintained an uneasy alliance, with Chiwenga widely seen as a potential challenger to Mnangagwa’s hold on power.
Tensions between the two factions have been escalating, with Chiwenga’s military-aligned supporters increasingly frustrated by Mnangagwa’s consolidation of power.
The recent sackings within Varakashi4ED suggest a renewed effort by Mnangagwa to tighten his grip on the party’s internal structures and control dissenting voices within the information machinery.
In previous years, Varakashi4ED has been used to target opposition figures, independent journalists, and even internal party members suspected of disloyalty.
However, recent reports indicate that factional battles within the group have led to some members aligning with Chiwenga’s camp, using the platform to undermine Mnangagwa’s authority under the guise of promoting party interests.
The removal of the six members comes at a time when the battle for the 2028 elections is intensifying, with Chiwenga’s allies publicly positioning themselves to challenge Mnangagwa’s bid to extend his rule beyond 2028.
The move signals that Mnangagwa is unwilling to tolerate any dissent, even within his most loyal propaganda units.
As Zanu PF gears up for internal restructuring and potential succession battles, the fate of the Varakashi4ED unit remains uncertain. Whether the latest purge will strengthen Mnangagwa’s position or embolden Chiwenga’s allies to push back remains to be seen.