THE Zanu PF Manicaland province has confirmed the co-option of President Emmerson Mnangagwa's investment adviser, Paul Tungwarara, to the central committee, in what is seen as an open revolt against a directive by the party’s political commissar Munyaradzi Machacha.
Tungwarara was initially co-opted to fill a vacancy left by Dorothy Mabika, the Chipinge representative who was elected Manicaland provincial Women’s League chairperson. However, Machacha overturned the decision, arguing that Tungwarara does not come from the required administrative district.
Despite the directive, party sources confirmed to NewsDay that Tungwarara has since assumed the position, with his re-ascendancy confirmed on Sunday at a meeting held at Mutare Girls High School.
The stand-off highlights deepening factional tensions within Zanu PF’s Manicaland structures, where power struggles and allegations of manipulation have become recurrent.
With the central committee being the party’s highest decision-making body outside congress, the saga has angered long-serving members who see membership of the organ as a reward for loyalty and seniority.
Former Chipinge South legislator Enock Porusingazi strongly backed Tungwarara’s co-option.
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“Even if we have 15 meetings, we are not going to change our position,” he said.
“Tungwarara is our candidate. I grew up with him here in Chipinge, herding cattle together, so he is our son and we will continue to support him.”
A senior party source said Tungwarara’s re-ascendancy was reinforced by a letter from a village headman “who explicitly acknowledged Tungwarara as a true son of the Chipinge soil and the endorsed candidate to represent Chipinge as a central committee member”.
“This letter serves as a defence against any claims of lack of transparency and affirms his legitimate connection to the required administrative district,” the source said.
It came out during the meeting that Tungwarara hails from Chipinge, where he grew up before relocating to Buhera for greener pastures.
Musikavanhu Member of Parliament Angelina Gata (Zanu PF) said Tungwarara’s new position in the central committee would bring empowerment to Manicaland.
“No matter where my brother comes from, he should just get the position because he can bring empowerment to the province,” she said.
Being Zanu PF’s highest decision-making body outside congress, the central committee is also responsible for crafting party policy, strategic direction and dealing with disciplinary matters.
Machacha had, in a December 11, 2025, letter, nullified Tungwarara’s co-option, accusing the province of ignoring clear instructions contained in a legal affairs department document.
He argued that the process used to co-opt Tungwarara was fundamentally flawed because the replacement should have come from the same administrative district as the outgoing member — in this case, Chipinge.
The same letter read that the province violated mandatory guidelines governing co-options, stressing that the rules are designed to ensure “equitable distribution of seats across all administrative districts” and to prevent manipulation of the selection process.
“In view of the above, Manicaland province is advised to conduct another co-option process following the correct guidelines and procedures,” Machacha wrote, in a directive that effectively resets the selection exercise.
The move got the support of other Zanu PF bigwigs, including the party’s treasurer-general, Patrick Chinamasa.
Writing on X, Chinamasa said: “I support the decision of Cde Machacha 100%, indeed wholeheartedly, for the reasons given and more.
Those who have eyes, let them ‘eye’, and those who have ears, let them ‘ear’.”
Meanwhile, the National Multi-Faith Economic Dialogue (NAMFED) chief convener Obey Mapuranga has said the co-option of Tungwarara to the Zanu PF central committee was recently foretold by God and could not be reversed.
Mapuranga, who leads an organisation of apostolic sects and spirit mediums, said the development had been foretold by God, a claim he explained in a video that has since gone viral.
“NAMFED is confirming the prophecy that was made by its spiritual leaders on November 2, 2025 at OTS Grounds in which they foretold God’s will for adviser Dr Paul Tungwarara that he shall hold a central committee position and that Dr Tungwarara shall rise through the ranks of Zanu PF politics on one condition that he walks side by side with the divine will of God which is installing a presidential term extension for President ED Mnangagwa to remain in office beyond 2030,” Mapuranga told NewsDay.
“The prophecy was conveyed directly to Dr Tungwarara by the NAMFED chief convener, that is me, who had been sent by Manicaland province spiritual leaders to convey the message on their behalf. The Zanu PF Manicaland provincial coordinating committee is just confirming God's will by co-opting Tungwarara.”