SHURUGWI — The embattled former ZANU‑PF legislator and Kuda Tagwireyi’s influencer Temba Mliswa says his home in Shurugwi was set alight late on Wednesday night in what he describes as a retaliatory act after he publicly demanded greater accountability and transparency. Police and local sources say the blaze was deliberate but confirmed that no one was injured.
Mliswa, who has been vocal in recent weeks about alleged corruption within the ruling party, called the attack an act of intimidation and vowed not to be silenced. In a post on X, he wrote:
“They came & broke into my car but I’m not one to fear or be intimidated by these theatrics. Ndakatofukwa naMwari neMidzimu. Whoever does anything it will also find him just like former Comm Chihuri or Pres Mugabe whom I warned in a letter. Sending thugs won’t work. We move!” — Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa)
Locals reported thick smoke and emergency services responding to the scene; firefighters later brought the blaze under control. Authorities have opened an investigation into the cause and possible suspects, but no arrests have been announced.
Mliswa and some political analysts have accused elements aligned with the so‑called “Lacoste” faction of reverting to a familiar playbook of staged break‑ins, self‑inflicted damage and other theatrics designed to portray opponents as targeted victims. “Mapisa Nyadzonia!” Mliswa reportedly declared — a cry signalling he remains defiant despite the attack.
“Whenever critics become a problem, we see the same scripted incidents: office burglaries, car break‑ins, even manufactured stories to shape public sympathy,” one analyst commented, pointing to episodes from past intra‑party battles, including confrontations with the G40 faction. Analysts caution, however, that such claims must be weighed carefully until police complete their investigations.
Mliswa has been a persistent voice calling for transparency and financial accountability inside ZANU‑PF, and his allegations have heightened tensions within the party’s ongoing succession struggles. Opposition figures condemned the attack and called for a full, transparent probe. Civil society groups urged the police to act swiftly and warned that politically motivated violence would further destabilise an already fraught political climate.
A spokesperson for the local police office acknowledged the incident and said investigators were treating the matter seriously but declined to comment on possible motives while inquiries continue.
For now, the burning of Mliswa’s home has deepened fears of an escalation in politically charged intimidation ahead of a fraught period for the ruling party — and reinforced concerns that internal power struggles are spilling over into acts of violence and retribution.
