HARARE (ZimLive) – Zanu PF has fired six members of its Varakashi4ED Social Media Unit for allegedly attacking senior party officials, according to a letter by the party’s legal secretary Patrick Chinamasa.
Chinamasa, who serves as the unit’s executive director, announced the dismissals in a February 11 letter to the party’s national political commissar Munyaradzi Machacha, following a meeting with President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
“On February 3, 2025, I met with His Excellency, the president and first secretary of Zanu PF Cde Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa to discuss disciplinary issues within the Varakashi4ED Social Media Unit,” Chinamasa wrote.
He said the meeting resulted in the permanent removal of Jonasi Mandiwisa Musara, Tafadzwa Mawire, Tinotenda Gachange, Felix Muzondo, Pardon Mangwende, and Herbert Mathe from the unit for their “serious infractions.”
Chinamasa also directed that the Varakashi4ED Social Media Unit be the “sole Zanu PF-recognised social media affiliate” and called for an expedited implementation of a social media management policy by the commissariat, information and publicity, and legal departments.
He appointed Norman Mbimbi as the new administrator of the unit, with Dereck Goto serving as director of operations.
“I kindly request your office to enforce these recommendations as per His Excellency’s directive… I will continue overseeing the Unit in my capacity as executive director,” Chinamasa added.
The letter confirms long-standing speculation that Zanu PF employs social media trolls to amplify its messages and target opponents.
Chinamasa revealed that the Varakashi4ED Social Media Unit was created on Mnangagwa’s directive “ahead of the 2023 harmonised elections.”
One of those expelled, Jonasi Mandiwisa Musara, who uses the name Jones Musara on social media, appeared to confirm his exit in a Thursday tweet: “Now back to law school which requires lots of studying, writing assignments and participating in tutorials. My time on social media will be obviously drastically reduced because of that.”
