Staff Reporter
HARARE – Presidential Investment Advisor, Paul Tungwarara faces intense political isolation and a precarious future within the ruling Zanu PF party, following a series of self-inflicted missteps and renewed scrutiny of longstanding corruption allegations, multiple party sources have confirmed.
Tungwarara’s position, already weakened, appears to have deteriorated further after an incident at a high-level private meeting convened by President Emmerson Mnangagwa earlier this week.
The meeting, held at the President’s residence and attended by top businessmen including Kuda Tagwirei and Ambassador-at-Large Uebert Angel, was focused on party financing.
According to three sources present, Tungwarara was a late addition to the guest list. During a brief photo session, he positioned himself prominently beside the President.
Subsequently, and to the reported dismay of other attendees, the image was leaked to a social media personality and disseminated online in what was seen as a blatant attempt by Tungwarara to project influence and shore up his faltering political brand.
This move backfired, exacerbating existing tensions.
Tungwarara has been on thin ice since President Mnangagwa banned his rallies in Manicaland Province last week, following speeches critics say attacked the party leadership. His attempts to reconcile with the influential First Family have reportedly failed flat.
Compounding his troubles are serious legal vulnerabilities. A senior party official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that Tungwarara has “multiple corruption-related dockets” pending against him, with cases tracing back to at least 2016.
The official described these as a “sword of Damocles” that has left him vulnerable.
Further scrutiny now surrounds Tungwarara’s claim to the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) that he holds “national exclusive rights” to rehabilitate river ecosystems across all provinces. This assertion is under review, with insiders questioning its legitimacy.
A political analyst said the confluence of factors paints a dire picture.
“When legal vulnerability meets political miscalculation and a loss of patronage, the outcome is almost always a fall from grace. Tungwarara is demonstrating a frantic effort to cling to relevance, but the unified pushback suggests his time in the inner circle is over.”
