The long-running feud between Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi and her brother-in-law, Aaron Rwodzi, has burst into the public domain after Aaron was expelled from Zanu PF, a development that highlights the ruling party’s intensifying factional battles.
Aaron, the brother of the late Christopher Mutonho Rwodzi — Barbara’s husband who died in a car accident last year — received his dismissal letter this week from the Chirumhanzu District Coordinating Committee (DCC). His expulsion is being interpreted by political observers as both a family dispute and a reflection of the broader power struggles rocking Zanu PF ahead of its crucial congress next month.
Sources close to the family say animosity between Barbara and Aaron has been simmering since Mutonho’s death in June 2024. The retired soldier perished in a mysterious car crash when his Toyota Prado veered off a bridge on the Harare–Chivhu highway, plunging into a dry riverbed. The sudden tragedy left not only a family void but also unsettled local political dynamics, as Mutonho had influence in Chirumhanzu politics.
With Barbara stepping into the political spotlight as one of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s trusted allies, tension with Aaron’s camp reportedly intensified. Relatives and party insiders describe the feud as a mixture of inheritance disputes, political positioning, and unresolved bitterness over the circumstances surrounding Mutonho’s death.
“Aaron felt increasingly sidelined in both family and political matters, while Barbara consolidated her power within Zanu PF structures,” said a Midlands-based source. “This was bound to explode sooner or later.”
While at face value the fallout appears to be a personal feud, Zanu PF insiders argue that Aaron’s expulsion cannot be separated from the party’s deepening factionalism. Barbara has become one of Mnangagwa’s strongest defenders in the Midlands, often openly clashing with perceived sympathisers of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.
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Aaron, according to sources, was viewed with suspicion for allegedly leaning toward the Chiwenga camp, which has been resisting Mnangagwa’s reported push to extend his rule beyond 2028. His removal is therefore being framed by critics as part of a broader purge of dissenting voices.
“The truth is that Zanu PF is eating itself alive,” a senior party member who requested anonymity said. “What we are witnessing in Chirumhanzu is not just a family quarrel but a microcosm of the national battle between Mnangagwa’s loyalists and those loyal to Chiwenga.”
The Midlands province, long regarded as Mnangagwa’s home turf and political stronghold, is emerging as a key battleground ahead of the party’s congress scheduled for Mutare next month. Control of district structures in areas such as Chirumhanzu is seen as vital to shaping the outcome of debates over Mnangagwa’s succession and the controversial possibility of extending his tenure.
Barbra Rwodzi’s assertive role in the province has won her recognition at the top, but it has also fueled resentment among those who accuse her of using state and party machinery to settle personal scores. Aaron Rwodzi’s allies insist his dismissal was engineered to weaken rival factions and cement Barbara’s grip.
“She has the President’s ear, and that makes her untouchable for now,” one insider noted. “But the danger is that family vendettas are being dragged into national politics, with potentially destabilising effects.”
The forthcoming congress is expected to be one of the most contentious in years, with Mnangagwa’s succession bid at the centre of disputes. Purges, suspensions, and expulsions have intensified in recent months, reflecting a ruling party that appears more preoccupied with internal survival than with governing.
For now, Aaron Rwodzi finds himself on the losing end of both a family feud and a political purge. His expulsion has left him politically isolated, though allies suggest he may still challenge the decision through internal appeals. Meanwhile, Barbara continues to project strength, leveraging her ministerial post and proximity to Mnangagwa to consolidate influence.
The Rwodzi dispute underscores how personal rivalries and family dramas can spill over into the highest levels of Zimbabwean politics. What began as tension within a grieving family has morphed into a public confrontation that mirrors Zanu PF’s factional cracks.
As the congress draws closer, the fate of Aaron and others caught in the crossfire will serve as a litmus test of how far Mnangagwa’s camp is prepared to go in neutralising potential rivals. For Barbara, the feud may have strengthened her political standing in the short term, but it has also exposed the fragility of unity within the ruling party.
In the end, the Rwodzi family saga is no longer just about inheritance disputes or unresolved grief. It is now about power, survival, and the future direction of Zanu PF as it navigates one of the most critical turning points in its history.
Source – zimeye
