President Emmerson Mnangagwa has cancelled his planned trip to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, amid fears that some of his loyal lieutenants could face arrest in his absence.
The dramatic development follows a stormy Zanu-PF politburo meeting on Wednesday, which exposed deepening rifts within the ruling party’s leadership.
According to reports by ZimLive, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga confronted State Security Minister Lovemore Matuke during the meeting, asking him where he had been during the liberation struggle, given that he was born in 1962. In response, Matuke accused Chiwenga of harbouring presidential ambitions and plotting to derail Mnangagwa’s so-called “Vision 2030” project, while blocking Kudakwashe Tagwirei, Mnangagwa’s alleged preferred successor.
Sources say Chiwenga arrived armed with a dossier claiming that Zanu-PF had been “captured” by businessmen Tagwirei, Wicknell Chivayo, Delish Nguwaya and Scott Sakupwanya. He reportedly demanded that the quartet face arrest for alleged financial crimes. The confrontation underscored growing concerns over the role of politically connected business figures in shaping party dynamics and succession debates.
Independent journalist Hopewell Chin’ono further reported that several retired military leaders aligned with Chiwenga have quietly rejoined the army’s reserve force, a move that has heightened speculation of possible military involvement should Zanu-PF’s internal battles escalate.
Addressing the party’s central committee on Thursday, Mnangagwa appeared to brush aside calls from some of his loyalists to delay elections to 2030. Instead, he reaffirmed his commitment to contesting the 2028 polls, declaring: “It is of importance that we introspect as a party, not only with regards to our short-term activities, but in view of the bigger objective that our party wins the 2028 harmonised general elections.”
The latest developments reveal widening cracks between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga, reigniting speculation about a possible succession showdown inside Zanu-PF.
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