By Tinashe Sambiri

Controversial businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei has dismissed speculation that he harbours presidential ambitions, declaring that President Emmerson Mnangagwa will remain in power beyond 2028—until at least 2030.

Speaking at a Land Tenure Programme hosted at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Bulawayo on Wednesday, Tagwirei said there was no leadership vacuum in Zimbabwe that would warrant such speculation.

“There is no vacancy for the presidency because President Emmerson Mnangagwa will rule until 2030,” said Tagwirei. “I am a businessman—why should I look for something that does not exist?”

Tagwirei, who has often been linked to powerful political circles and accused of wielding outsized influence in government affairs, also made controversial remarks about economic participation.

“If you are not a tenderpreneur, you are foolish,” he said, using a term often associated with politically connected individuals who benefit from government contracts.

His comments come amid rising debate about succession within the ruling ZANU PF party and uncertainty over Zimbabwe’s post-2028 political landscape. President Mnangagwa, whose second term constitutionally ends in 2028, has yet to publicly state whether he will seek to extend his stay in office.

As of now, Tagwirei’s remarks have drawn sharp criticism from opposition figures and civil society groups, who view them as part of an emerging campaign to justify an unconstitutional extension of Mnangagwa’s rule.