A fresh dispute has erupted in Zanu-PF’s Masvingo Province after internal minutes revealed that c won a district-level ballot to fill the Chivi Central Committee seat — yet provincial leaders reportedly forwarded Mathias Tongofa’s name for confirmation instead.
The wrangle comes against the backdrop of recent turmoil over controversial attempts to co-opt businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei and several other figures into the Central Committee that have unsettled the party nationally.
The Chivi seat fell vacant following the death of Brigadier Elasto Madzingira in August 2024. According to District Coordinating Committee (DCC) minutes from a meeting held on 19 September, 27 of 29 members voted for Mumbengegwi, while two supported Tongofa.
“Twenty-nine members cast their votes, with 27 for Comrade Mumbengegwi and 2 for Comrade Tongofa. Therefore, Mumbengegwi won Chivi’s vote and was recommended to replace Madzingira,” the minutes state.
The DCC directed its chairperson, Samuel Magonde, to forward the result to the provincial office. However, Masvingo Provincial Chairperson Rabson Mavhenyengwa confirmed that he has already submitted Tongofa’s name to the party’s politburo, Central Committee, and presidium.
When asked about the conflicting minutes, he dismissed the matter as “factionalism”, insisting that the provincial recommendation stands. A senior party insider told Zim Now the decision had angered local structures.
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“If the presidium adopts Tongofa, it will go against the will of the district. The people of Chivi feel their democratic choice is being ignored,” said the source, who attended the meeting.
Magonde, the DCC chairman, confirmed that his committee had submitted Mumbengegwi’s name but acknowledged that the final decision lies with the provincial leadership.
Clifford Mumbengegwi is a veteran of the 1970s liberation struggle and served in the Zimbabwe National Army from 1981 to 1990, retiring with the rank of Major. He has previously contested the Chivi North parliamentary seat three times and once ran for Kuwadzana in Harare in 2000.
He holds a Bachelor of Business Studies from the University of Zimbabwe and a Master of Science in Strategic Management from the University of Derby (UK). A long-time party organiser, he rose to Provincial Vice Chairman in Masvingo after transferring from Harare.
The standoff underscores simmering factional tension within Zanu-PF Masvingo, as provincial structures jostle for influence ahead of upcoming appointments. Analysts say it also raises questions about internal democracy and the weight of district endorsements in the ruling party’s selection process.
The final decision on who fills the Chivi Central Committee seat now rests with the Zanu-PF Presidium.
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