Business tycoon Kudakwashe Regimond Tagwirei has rejected widespread speculation that he is positioning himself to succeed President Emmerson Mnangagwa insisting there is no leadership vacancy and declaring his full support for the incumbent.
Tagwirei, who chairs the Land Tenure Implementation Committee and was recently co-opted into the ruling ZANU PF party’s powerful Central Committee made the remarks at the second edition of the Land Tenure Leadership Success Series hosted by the Young Women for Economic Development (YW4ED) in Bulawayo.
“There is no vacancy in the Office of the President. President ED Mnangagwa is the President until 2030. I am a businessman… stop being foolish. Why should I be looking for something that does not exist?” said Tagwirei
His comments come in the wake of increasing speculation that he could be a dark horse in the race to succeed Mnangagwa who is currently serving the final term of his presidency.
Tagwirei, often described as a political power broker with deep ties to the ruling establishment, sought to shut down those rumors.
“It’s foolish for me… why should I waste my energy on something that does not exist? The President is going to be there up to 2030. Anyone who says otherwise is foolish in their own thinking. I am a soldier, a soldier who has been sent by the very President who is going to be there until 2030. Anyone who thinks otherwise should go and sleep… they are dreaming,” he said
Some analysts view Tagwirei’s growing political involvement particularly his elevation into the ZANU PF Central Committee as positioning for greater influence within the party.
