Zimbabwe is not at peace. There may be no gunfire in the streets but there is a war happening deep inside ZANU PF. It is not just a disagreement. It is a ruthless battle for power for money and for control of the army. At the centre of this storm is the growing tension between Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga and the inner circle of President Emmerson Mnangagwa. This fight has now reached dangerous levels and the consequences will affect every citizen.
Chiwenga has once again broken his silence. He called Mnangagwa’s allies zvigananda a word that describes people who are greedy heartless and dangerous. His warning was loud and clear. He said their day of reckoning is coming and justice will find them no matter how far they run. These are not the words of a man seeking peace. These are the words of a man preparing for battle. And this time his tone is colder and more direct than ever before.
The fight inside ZANU PF is no longer hidden. Mnangagwa’s camp is using every dollar they can find to build a future without Chiwenga. They have put their support behind businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei a man with deep pockets and strong connections. Tagwirei is on a mission to buy influence and power. He is attending meetings sponsoring events and positioning himself as the chosen successor. But behind the scenes there is fear confusion and betrayal.
Chiwenga is not talking much now but do not mistake that for weakness. His silence is strategic. Those close to him believe he is calculating his move. They say he knows the real power in Zimbabwe lies with the army not with billionaires. And that is where the next chapter of this dark political story will be written. In the barracks not the boardroom.
One man who may tip the scales is General Philip Valerio Sibanda the current head of the army. Some say he is the only one who can block Chiwenga. Others believe he is the army’s most trusted voice. Either way he is a key player. His actions or silence will shape what happens next. In a country where the army chooses leaders his role cannot be ignored.
Zimbabwe has become a nation where military boots step louder than the voices of voters. The army is no longer a protector of the nation. It is now the kingmaker. Since the liberation war soldiers have refused to return to the barracks. They have become politicians business leaders and power brokers. In 2017 they removed Mugabe and put Mnangagwa in power. That was not the end of military politics. It was the beginning of something worse.
This is dangerous for democracy. If soldiers are the ones who decide who leads then elections become a joke. People lose faith in the vote. Fear replaces freedom. Hope dies. And the same suffering continues because the system is built to protect power not to serve people.
Chiwenga’s latest outburst is a warning sign. Zimbabwe is not stable. Even those at the top are scared of each other. They are watching each other plotting against each other and getting ready for the next showdown. But while they fight for thrones the people are crying for food jobs medicine and clean water.
The Zimbabwean dollar is collapsing. Prices are rising. Hospitals are empty. Schools are struggling. Yet the headlines are all about who will rule next. That is the tragedy of Zimbabwe today. A country on its knees with leaders obsessed with crowns.
Zimbabwe does not need another fight for power. It needs justice. It needs honest leadership. It needs democracy that works. Until that comes the people will continue to suffer while the generals and billionaires play their dangerous game.
Chiwenga has fired the first shot with his words. The silence that follows is full of danger. Zimbabwe is at war with itself and the people are bleeding silently.
About The Author
