HARARE – Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU–PF party is once again in turmoil, with President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, locked in a fierce succession struggle now defined by explosive corruption claims.
The latest salvo came from outspoken former legislator Temba Mliswa—a cousin of Mnangagwa—who accused Chiwenga of facilitating large-scale Chinese plunder of the country’s natural resources. In a fiery audio message circulating on social media, Mliswa questioned the source of Chiwenga’s personal wealth, linking it to the widely disputed US$15 billion in missing Chiadzwa diamond revenues during the period when Chiwenga was Commander of the Defence Forces and Mnangagwa served as Defence Minister.
Mliswa’s attack was prompted by Chiwenga’s recent presentation of a corruption dossier at a ZANU–PF politburo meeting. According to party insiders, the document—delivered in Mnangagwa’s presence—allegedly named key figures aligned with the President’s faction, escalating the rift between the two powerful camps.
In a dramatic move that underscores the tension, Mnangagwa has reportedly cancelled all foreign travel, including a planned appearance at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Sources within government claim the President fears that corruption dockets aimed at his closest allies could lead to arrests should he leave the country.
Adding intrigue to the political theatre, Mliswa himself has become a figure of curiosity. Born in Kitwe, Zambia, in 1971 and partly raised in Luton, United Kingdom, he somehow rose to become a traditional village head in Shurugwi, Midlands Province—an unusual trajectory that continues to draw public attention. Mnangagwa was also born in Zambia, a fact that critics occasionally raise in debates over the ruling elite’s roots and legitimacy.
Analysts say the deepening feud highlights how corruption has shifted from a governance issue to a weapon in the party’s internal power struggle. “This is no longer a simple fight over succession,” noted political commentator Eldred Masunungure. “It is a dangerous contest in which corruption allegations are being used to weaken opponents ahead of a possible leadership transition.”
With arrests rumoured and the economy already fragile, observers warn that the widening fissure between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga threatens to destabilise both the ruling party and Zimbabwe’s broader political landscape in the months ahead.
