By Correspondent
A 2021 report published by The Sentry, “Shadows and Shell Games: Uncovering an Offshore Business Empire in Zimbabwe,” revealed key details of the business practices of controversial businessman and presidential advisor Kudakwashe Tagwirei.
By then Tagwirei was mainly a businessman with political ties.
He wasn’t seen as a politician himself.
The Sentry’s investigation revealed that Tagwirei had been using complex corporate structures and seemingly preferential government treatment to build his business empire and enormous wealth.
It revealed that he controlled a sprawling network of more than 40 companies.
They spanned the oil, mining, banking, logistics, transportation, and import/export sectors.
Control over this empire was hidden through an elaborate foreign network.
It hid his wealth and ownership through offshore financial structures.
Businessman To Politician
Fast forward to 2026 and Tagwirei’s vast financial omnipotence has been brought to bear heavily on the country’s politics.
The man himself has become a full-blown politician having become part of ZANU PF’s Central Committee.
From there he is reportedly scheming to be part of the Politburo.
It is a public secret that hordes of ZANU PF officials, senior civil servants and military officials have already benefited from him.
In 2025 he donated 300 vehicles to the ruling party’s central committee members.
Politburo members and other top Zanu PF officials also later received their own.
This time around the massive fortune is being used to engineer an elaborate scheme that involves amending the Constitution.
The move is an elaborately tricky legal knockout at his perceived rivals for the top seat in politics.
A Weapon Fashioned As CAB3
Constitutional Amendment Bill No3 (CAB3) is not just controversial but very daring.
It goes against so many democratic ideals and has divided even ZANU PF itself.
While on the surface it is easier to blame President Mnangagwa who appears set to benefit from an extension of 2 years, the scheme appears to have another target.
That target, aimed at for decimation, is VP Chiwenga.
CAB3 has some clauses which are targeted specifically at decimating the power and position of the VP.
Clauses 4 and 5 deal with Presidential Election Process.
They aim to replace the direct popular election of the President with an election by a joint sitting of Parliament.
The main import of this scheme is that someone with enough money can buy his way to power without labouring about popularity with the rest of the electorate.
This is an ideal scenario for an upstart politician like Kuda Tagwirei who may lack the organic grassroots support necessary for a power grab.
With his large pockets he can easily and simply pay the Legislators and waltz to State House.
One of his main adversaries for the top seat VP Chiwenga doesn’t posses the same financial muscle.
He has actually been rumoured to be seeking the financial support of business magnate Simon Rudland.
However, Rudland has dismissed the story as a defamatory fabrication.
So the point remains that where money counts, Chiwenga is no match for Tagwirei.
Castrating the VP Position and His Power Base
Another part of amendments seeks to remove the word ‘First’ and ‘Second’ before Vice-President in Section 100 sub-section (a) and (b).
This is reportedly in line with being non- prejudiced and bringing the element of equality as well as bringing about harmony in line with Section 56 which speaks to equality and non-discrimination.
While that may indeed sound logical it’s clearly an apparent decimation of Chiwenga’s status since of the two VP’s he is the one with an apparent eye on the throne.
He is also the one referred to as 1st VP.
Now he won’t be first in anything!
Section 212 will replace the wording on the function of the Defence Forces from ‘upholding’ the Constitution to ‘acting in accordance’ with the Constitution for legal harmony.
This is another subtle castration of Chiwenga as it aims to reduce the power of the military sector, suspected of being amenable to him as its former leader.
Clearly, the Mnangagwa camp hasn’t forgotten how they came to power and they seek to block a repeat of that.
Thus, CAB3 seeks to impose a restrainer on the Army.
The Army is an area which Tagwirei has tried to recover in by focusing on the senior military leaders.
Some reports have suggested that Tagwirei was involved in providing over 1,000 cars to military personnel.
Once he manages to rein-in the military and CAB3 sails through, then the top seat may very likely be there for his taking.
