AFTER being recommended for a Central Committee post by ZANU PF's Harare Province, war veteran Blessed Geza has claimed that Kudakwashe Tagwirei is being clandestinely groomed to take over the presidency by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, thwarting his deputy Constantino Chiwenga's leadership ambitions.
Tagwirei is manoeuvring into the structures of the ruling party after his name was put forward by the provincial leadership to assume a role in the Central Committee, one of the party's most powerful organs.
However, the move has not gone down well with the militant Geza, who has lashed out at Tagwirei.
"The last time I mentioned that you (Tagwirei) have monopolised government contracts. We know all about this corruption.
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"Where you are now going--into politics--do not undermine me. You are conniving with Mnangagwa to become president ... now you want to lead the country through the back door," said Geza.
ZANU PF is at loggerheads, with one faction pushing for Mnangagwa to retain the presidency beyond 2030, while another supports Chiwenga to succeed the octogenarian leader.
Tagwirei has been accused of benefiting from his close ties to Mnangagwa through lucrative government contracts.
He secured a multimillion-dollar deal to construct the Mbudzi Interchange flyover and has expanded his business empire into mining while maintaining a near-monopoly in the fuel sector.
Additionally, Tagwirei has been leading the Command Agriculture programme and currently chairs the Land Tenure Implementation Committee.
Geza accused Tagwirei of seeking to reverse the land reform programme.
"Where have you ever seen a genuine programme being overseen by two banks? This issue of trying to reverse the land reform programme--leave it," added Geza.
Efforts to get a comment from Tagwirei were futile as he had not responded to questions sent to him by the time of publishing.
