Controversy within Zimbabwe’s ruling party, Zanu-PF, has intensified after Temba Mliswa launched a sustained and highly public campaign of criticism against Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, further inflaming what many analysts describe as an already volatile succession battle. Over the past week, the outspoken Mashonaland West legislator has unleashed a series of social media posts and public statements targeting Chiwenga, prompting speculation that his interventions align him more closely with factions loyal to President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The flare-up followed allegations made on September 20 by Blessed Runesu Geza — also known in political circles as Cde Bombshell — claiming that Mliswa had been financially incentivised by cartels connected to Mnangagwa to discredit Chiwenga. Hours after those claims emerged, Mliswa escalated his criticism of the vice-president, intensifying public debate over whether his attacks are driven by principle or political strategy.
The backdrop to Mliswa’s verbal offensive lies in events two weeks earlier, when Chiwenga stunned a Zanu-PF politburo meeting by presenting a dossier alleging widespread corruption within the party. The dossier accused a network of businessmen of enriching themselves through inflated state tenders and generous donations to the party. It claimed Zanu-PF had lost billions of dollars since Mnangagwa assumed leadership in November 2017, highlighting unpaid debts linked to Sakunda Holdings and controversial dealings involving influential figures such as Kudakwashe Tagwirei.
Chiwenga’s dossier named several individuals, including Tagwirei, Wicknell Chivhayo, Scott Sakupwanya and Delish Nguwaya, and called for their arrest. The revelations reportedly unsettled Mnangagwa and triggered swift political counter-moves within the party.
Mliswa’s Attacks on Chiwenga Deepen Zanu-PF Succession Struggle
Observers say that within days, a coordinated campaign emerged to discredit Chiwenga and blunt his anti-corruption push, with Mliswa emerging as one of its most vocal faces. Mliswa has publicly criticised Chiwenga for raising the matter in a public politburo meeting rather than following private channels, arguing that such high-profile exposure risks harming party unity. He has accused Chiwenga of politicising anti-corruption efforts for personal gain and of using the matter to boost his own standing in the succession race.
Mliswa’s critics, however, argue that his attacks are opportunistic. They point to his history of shifting allegiances and note that only weeks earlier he had praised Chiwenga for his role in the military intervention of 2017 that led to Mnangagwa’s ascendancy. For many, his sudden reversal raises questions about his motives and whether his stance reflects a calculated alignment with Mnangagwa’s camp.
Those defending Chiwenga insist the vice-president’s actions are rooted in a genuine concern to tackle corruption at the highest levels. They stress his central role in the events that removed Robert Mugabe, including logistical and security measures that paved Mnangagwa’s way to power. For them, Chiwenga’s decision to air the dossier publicly reflects frustration at the slow pace of promised reforms and a determination to hold senior figures accountable.
Supporters frame Chiwenga’s stance as part of the unfinished mandate of the 2017 transition — a call for cleaner governance and the restoration of public trust. They say his critics, including Mliswa, are deliberately mischaracterising the matter to protect entrenched interests.
The episode has underscored deep divisions within Zanu-PF, particularly as the party prepares for its annual conference and debates proposals to extend Mnangagwa’s term in office. Analysts warn that such factional disputes, fuelled by personality politics and public vilification, risk eroding trust within the party and could have wider consequences for national stability if left unresolved.
“This is not just about personalities — it’s a struggle over succession, power, and control of the party,” said a political analyst. “Once these disputes spill into the public arena, they risk becoming broader political crises.”
Mliswa’s campaign against Chiwenga has played out largely in the public eye, with social media becoming a key battleground. Political watchers say this illustrates how intra-party disagreements in Zimbabwe can quickly escalate, with social platforms amplifying divisions and turning them into wider confrontations.
For now, neither Mliswa nor Chiwenga’s camp has shown signs of backing down. Instead, their exchanges are intensifying ahead of what is expected to be a fiercely contested succession process within Zanu-PF.
As the battle lines harden, observers say the ongoing conflict between Mliswa and Chiwenga is a microcosm of broader struggles within Zanu-PF — struggles over patronage, political influence, and the legacy of the 2017 transition. How this plays out could have profound implications not just for the party, but for Zimbabwe’s political future.
For now, the Zanu-PF succession question remains unresolved, and the public spat between Mliswa and Chiwenga is far from over. The next round of the party’s internal battles will likely be fought not only in politburo meetings but also across social media and in the court of public opinion.
Source- Bulawayo24
