HARARE – ZANU–PF has unveiled a major reorganisation of its Politburo, a move that is already stirring debate about the party’s internal power dynamics and the road to the 2028 elections.
In an official communiqué, party spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa announced that President and First Secretary Emmerson Mnangagwa had exercised his constitutional authority to restructure the party leadership. The most striking change sees Speaker of Parliament Jacob Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda replacing Obert Moses Mpofu as Secretary-General, while Mpofu moves to head the Information Communication Technology portfolio. Patrick Anthony Chinamasa leaves his post as Secretary for Legal Affairs to become Treasurer-General, and Ziyambi Ziyambi shifts from ICT to the legal affairs role. All changes take immediate effect.
Although the statement framed the reshuffle as routine, political observers say it underscores a deeper contest for influence. Mpofu’s redeployment is widely regarded as a demotion and a setback for Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga’s faction, with Mudenda’s elevation strengthening his own standing in succession calculations. Analysts argue that the Secretary-General’s office is pivotal to internal electoral processes, making the change particularly significant.
The reshuffle also carries economic and strategic implications. Ziyambi is expected to steer key legal reforms linked to the government’s Mnangagwa’s bid to extend his term to 2030, while Chinamasa’s move to the treasury role positions him to manage the party’s financial and resource mobilisation strategies during a challenging economic period.
By presenting the overhaul as an effort to keep ZANU–PF aligned with its founding principles and revolutionary ethos, Mnangagwa has signalled his intent to consolidate control while projecting an image of unity. Yet the timing and scale of the changes suggest an intensifying internal contest as the party prepares for the next electoral cycle.
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