By Munacho Gwamanda-Information Minister Jenfan Muswere is facing backlash from within Zanu PF for allegedly bypassing internal party procedures.
In a strongly worded letter dated 7 April 2025 Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa effectively “fired” Muswere, accusing him of using state media to prematurely announce party election results without proper authorisation.
In the letter addressed to Muswere, Mutsvangwa lambasted the minister for allegedly bypassing party procedures by allowing state broadcaster ZBC and The Herald to announce Women’s League provincial election results before the party had officially ratified them. The elections were held in Manicaland on April 6.
Describing the announcement as “irregular” and an attempt to “upend standard internal consultations,” Mutsvangwa wrote that the statement aired and published by Muswere was “of no consequence.”
He warned that the correct and final position would only be communicated by his department—as the “rightful party mouthpiece”—effectively challenging Muswere’s authority and overstepping into ministerial turf.
Behind this clash lies a deeper political contest.
Christopher Mutsvangwa, who claims to be a war veteran, has, in recent years, positioned himself as a power broker and potential presidential contender.
Though he has not openly declared his intentions, his increasing assertiveness in party affairs and sharp political commentary has been interpreted as part of a campaign to carve out a post-Mnangagwa path for himself.
Insiders say Mutsvangwa is emboldened by factional fractures within Zanu PF, especially as President Emmerson Mnangagwa faces growing opposition over his controversial push to extend his term beyond 2028.
Mutsvangwa is believed to be rallying support among war veterans and the disenchanted elite—who view him as a more charismatic alternative to Mnangagwa’s increasingly authoritarian rule.
Once seen as a close ally of Mnangagwa, Mutsvangwa’s relationship with the president has grown cold, especially amid whispers that Mnangagwa is grooming younger loyalists like Muswere while sidelining seasoned war veterans.
Sources within the party allege that Mutsvangwa has long felt betrayed by Mnangagwa, who he helped ascend to power in the aftermath of the 2017 military coup that ousted Robert Mugabe.
The friction has been compounded by competing networks of patronage and a toxic mix of personal and political scandals.
One of the most salacious—and damaging—rumours fuelling the rift involves claims that Monica Mutsvangwa, Christopher’s wife and a senior Zanu PF official in her own right, once had an intimate relationship with Mnangagwa that allegedly resulted in a child.
While the claim has never been substantiated and is widely seen as political gossip, its circulation in both internal party discussions and dissident online platforms has intensified the hostility between the two camps.
Jenfan Muswere, the youthful Minister of Information and Zanu PF MP for Makoni, is perceived to be Mnangagwa’sprotégé.
His growing prominence—especially in state media—has made him a target for Mutsvangwa, who sees Muswere as a threat to his influence and a symbol of Mnangagwa’s efforts to bypass traditional party structures.
“Muswere wants to be a Mnangagwa darling and Mutsvangwa is not happy about that,” a senior Zanu PF official confided. “This is no longer about media policy—it’s about who controls the narrative as Mnangagwa tries to outflank his opponents inside the party.”
The letter to Muswere may be the clearest sign yet that Mutsvangwa is done playing nice.
By flexing his authority as the official party spokesperson, Mutsvangwa is reasserting control over internal communications while sending a chilling warning to those he views as presidential lackeys.
As Zanu PF heads toward a potentially explosive elective congress, the battle lines between the war veteran class and Mnangagwa’s inner circle are being drawn ever more clearly.