Key Points
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Obert Mpofu demoted in Zanu PF reshuffle.
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Jacob Mudenda named new secretary-general.
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Analysts warn of deeper power struggles ahead.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday demoted long-serving Zanu PF secretary-general Obert Mpofu in a surprise shake-up of the party’s top leadership.
Mpofu, once one of the most influential figures in the ruling party, now serves as secretary for information communication technology.
He was replaced by his Matabeleland North rival, Jacob Mudenda, in what analysts see as a strategic move to strengthen Mnangagwa’s control.
The changes were announced by party spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa in a brief statement.
They come just weeks before the Zanu PF national people’s conference scheduled for Mutare and days after a tense politburo meeting.
Mutsvangwa said Mnangagwa exercised his authority to reorganize the party leadership, adding that the restructuring showed Zanu PF’s commitment to its “enduring policies and revolution.”
Analysts warn of power struggle in Zanu PF
Political analysts say the shake-up signals intensifying factional battles ahead of the Mutare conference.
Eldred Masunungure described the infighting as “increasingly vicious,” warning that the internal contest resembled the historic vashandi versus zvigananda power struggles of the 1970s.
He said those earlier clashes ended violently, cautioning that the current crisis could also escalate.
Another analyst, Tendai Ruben Mbofana, said the demotion of Mpofu reflected Mnangagwa’s strategy to safeguard his 2030 agenda.
According to him, Mpofu resisted the rise of businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei and clashed with Patrick Chinamasa over his influence.
“Removing Mpofu from secretary-general to ICT is effectively sidelining him,” Mbofana said. “That office is one of the most powerful in the party, and this move clearly strips him of influence.”
Loyalists rewarded as Mnangagwa eyes 2030
The reshuffle also saw Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi appointed secretary for legal affairs, replacing Chinamasa, who now serves as treasurer-general.
Analysts say the new role gives Chinamasa greater control over party finances and investments, including controversial funds linked to Sakunda Holdings.
Mbofana said the changes strengthened Mnangagwa’s loyalists while punishing dissenters. “Mudenda is being rewarded as a trusted ally who will manage the day-to-day running of the party,” he said.
Observers believe the appointments mark Mnangagwa’s bid to consolidate power and neutralize rivals ahead of next month’s conference.
While the realignment may stabilize his hold, analysts caution that it could also deepen divisions in the ruling party.
