By Victor Fanuel
Harare – Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has issued a stern warning against corruption and “shadowy dealings” by unaccountable business elites, in what is widely seen as a veiled attack on businessman-turned-politician Kudakwashe Tagwirei.
Speaking at the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) congress in Victoria Falls on Thursday, Chiwenga issued a heavily worded statement condemning corruption and patronage.
“We must shun unscrupulous, so-called business people operating from briefcases with no traceable capital or legitimate enterprise.”
“This culture of phantom entrepreneurship, where money appears without any known source, is not only economically corrosive, but ethically bankrupt.”
Although Chiwenga did not name Tagwirei, the remarks appear to be a response to Tagwirei’s recent declaration: “If you are not a tenderpreneur, you are foolish.”
Once considered close allies, Chiwenga and Tagwirei reportedly fell out during the former’s extended illness between late 2018 and early 2019, when Chiwenga underwent months of treatment abroad.
During this period, Tagwirei cemented his ties with President Emmerson Mnangagwa, gaining greater access to power as his business empire expanded rapidly.
“We all know that money does not fall from the heavens like manna. The time of Moses is no longer here. Real businesses are built through hard work, discipline, sacrifice and value creation.”
“The day of reckoning is inevitable for those who undermine our economic integrity by engaging in shadowy dealings.
Tagwirei has since transitioned from backroom financier to active political player.
He now sits on Zanu PF’s Central Committee and is said to be eyeing a position in the Politburo.
According to Zanu PF insiders, he is positioning himself to replace Vice President Kembo Mohadi, amid reports of Mohadi’s declining health and could be a future contender to succeed Mnangagwa.
“Let us not mortgage our nation’s future for fleeting gain,” Chiwenga warned.
“There can be no room for rent-seeking behaviour and muddy practices in a modern competitive economy.”
“As we deepen public-private partnerships and catalyse economic growth, we must decisively shun corruption in all its ugly forms.”
Tagwirei’s influence has long been controversial.
Through Sakunda Holdings, he became the face of the billion-dollar Command Agriculture programme, later criticised by Parliament and the Auditor-General for lack of oversight and transparency.
His accumulation of lucrative state contracts without open bidding has drawn accusations of state capture.
His political ambitions have sparked internal tensions within Zanu PF.
Some ruling party insiders view his rise as driven by money rather than ideology or loyalty to the liberation struggle.
Civil society groups warn that his brand of “tenderpreneurship” risks institutionalising corruption by framing looting as legitimate enterprise.
Observers say Chiwenga’s comments reflect mounting unease within the ruling party as the battle to shape Zanu PF’s post-Mnangagwa era intensifies.
