Tinashe Sambiri
The growing political clout of businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei is stirring controversy within the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church, with some members voicing strong opposition to his alignment with ZANU PF and potential ascension to higher political office.
Tagwirei, a prominent SDA member and influential figure in Zimbabwe’s business sector, was recently endorsed by ZANU PF’s Harare Province for a seat on the party’s powerful Central Committee.
He is increasingly seen as President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s possible successor—an idea that has reportedly unsettled some within the church.
Dissenting voices within the SDA community have taken their grievances to the international stage, petitioning the church’s global leadership to revoke a prestigious honor awarded to Tagwirei. In their appeal to the General Conference, the Zimbabwe Union Conference, and the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division (SID), the concerned members argued that his political affiliations compromise the integrity of the church.
The controversy centers around a Global Award of Excellence presented to Tagwirei at Solusi University last month, making him the first Black recipient of the accolade from the General Conference. Critics argue the award sends the wrong message.
“His involvement in partisan politics, especially at such a high level, is incompatible with the values we uphold as a church,” read part of the petition.
But not everyone agrees with the criticism. Some SDA leaders have come to Tagwirei’s defense, alleging that the backlash is driven by personal vendettas and unmet financial expectations.
Heather Dube, a member of the City Centre Church, dismissed the accusations as a smear campaign. “It is crucial to recognise that since Mr. Tagwirei entered the mainstream political arena, the intensity of these allegations has significantly increased,” she said. “This organised campaign is rooted in frustration; these detractors were unable to secure financial backing from Tagwirei for their own agendas, prompting them to resort to character assassination.”
The internal discord highlights a broader tension over the role of politics in religious spaces, with Tagwirei’s rising profile becoming a flashpoint in that debate.