Zimbabwe’s ruling party, Zanu PF, has been thrown into deeper turmoil following a sharp exchange between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy, Constantino Chiwenga, over a damning corruption dossier that has exposed the widening cracks in the party’s leadership.
In what analysts are calling one of the most serious internal confrontations since Mnangagwa assumed power, the president has hit back at his deputy, accusing him of incitement and treason for allegedly seeking to undermine his leadership through the submission of a politically charged document to the Zanu PF politburo.
Mnangagwa’s response was delivered through the party’s newly appointed Secretary for Legal Affairs, Ziyambi Ziyambi, who issued a strongly worded statement rejecting Chiwenga’s claims of corruption, party capture, and constitutional violations. Ziyambi described the dossier as “fundamentally flawed” and a product of ignorance of party rules and national governance principles.
“In light of the foregoing, the document is fundamentally flawed, and its averments lack merit. It is my considered opinion that the document should be disregarded due to its material shortcomings and lack of appreciation of Party procedures and the national Constitution,” said Ziyambi.
He went further to allege that the dossier amounted to a direct attempt to unseat a constitutionally elected president, warning that such a move was a criminal act bordering on treason.
“At its core, the document advocates for the unlawful removal of a constitutionally elected President, which is palpably treasonous. The document not only undermines the President but also the economy and individuals who work hard to support the Party,” Ziyambi stated.
He also criticized what he described as reckless utterances that could have contributed to international sanctions imposed on key Zimbabwean figures.
“One wonders whether the placement under sanctions of some of these individuals was not a result of such reckless utterances. Such reckless utterances have cost our economy, His Excellency’s goodwill in the international fora, and individuals who have been unduly placed under sanctions, and in the end, no investor would want to invest in our country,” Ziyambi added.
Chiwenga’s dossier is said to have taken issue with the party’s controversial “2030 Agenda”, which reportedly seeks to extend Mnangagwa’s rule beyond the two constitutionally permitted terms. The Vice President allegedly argued that such a plan contradicts both the national Constitution and the founding principles of Zanu PF, potentially eroding party unity and legitimacy.
However, Ziyambi countered these assertions, arguing that the President has always acted within the confines of the law and the will of the people. He accused Chiwenga of misrepresenting the party’s resolutions and misunderstanding its constitutional framework.
“Indeed, the President is a constitutionalist who has not deviated from the Constitution at any time. However, if the people have spoken, should the President disregard the will of the people? The author is patently disregarding the resolutions, and seems unaware of the provisions of Article 6, Section 34, subsections (2) to (5) of the Party Constitution, which outline the powers and functions of the National People’s Conference,” Ziyambi said.
He further asserted that the so-called 2030 Agenda was rooted in the resolutions adopted during the 2024 National People’s Conference and did not, in any way, violate constitutional principles.
“The above assertion could be a result of the author’s ignorance of the quoted legal provisions. However, such ignorance may be excusable for non-legal persons. What is being referred to as the 2030 Agenda derives from the 2024 resolutions of the Conference. Given the underlying circumstances, any attempt to destabilise the Government on the basis of such falsehoods is tantamount to treason,” he added.
The fiery back-and-forth comes just days before Zanu PF’s National People’s Conference in Mutare, where party insiders say tensions are expected to reach a boiling point. The gathering, intended to project unity and chart a vision for Zimbabwe’s political and economic recovery, now risks being overshadowed by the growing leadership crisis.
Party insiders and political observers believe this confrontation could mark the beginning of a major succession showdown within Zanu PF, as rival factions quietly position themselves for influence ahead of the 2028 elections. The Mnangagwa-Chiwenga feud, long speculated but rarely displayed so publicly, now appears to have spilled into the open, setting the stage for one of the most consequential internal battles in the party’s history.
As the party braces for the Mutare conference, the question on many Zimbabweans’ minds is whether Mnangagwa and Chiwenga can reconcile their differences—or whether this rift will accelerate the unraveling of Zanu PF’s once-unshakeable grip on power.
