BIG SHAKE-UP IN ZANU PF: MNANGAGWA’S ALLIES LOSE TO CHIWENGA’S MEN
There was a big surprise in Zimbabwe’s ruling party, Zanu PF. Two strong allies of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Christopher Mutsvangwa and Victor Matemadanda, lost an important election. The election was held by the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association in Gweru. Many people did not expect this result, and it has changed the power balance in the party.
Mutsvangwa has been a key figure in Zanu PF for many years. He was first elected as the leader of the war veterans in 2013. However, in this new election, he lost badly. Cephas Ncube, from Bulawayo province, defeated him. The election was held at the Zanu PF Convention Centre in Midlands. The results showed that the war veterans wanted change.
The war veterans are a very important group in Zanu PF. They helped bring Mnangagwa to power in 2017, but they have also had many internal problems. They failed to hold an election in 2018, so this recent election was long overdue. The results shocked many because they happened in Mnangagwa’s stronghold.
Ncube got 294 votes, while Mutsvangwa only got 11 votes. This was a huge defeat for him. It showed that he had lost support from the war veterans. Matemadanda, who was also a strong supporter of Mnangagwa, did not do well either. He got only 75 votes and came in third place. Albert Ncube from Matabeleland North came second with 90 votes. Shorai Nyamangondo was elected vice chairperson without any competition.
Several other people were elected into leadership positions. These include Joel Murerengwa as Secretary-General, Thomas Manyima in Legal Affairs, Vincent Chinone in Transport, Section Ncube in Finance, Sanik Nguni in Security, Nyembesi Togara in Women Affairs, and Samuel Parirenyatwa as Political Commissar.
One interesting thing is that there are now three people with the surname Ncube in the new leadership team. These three are known to support Vice President Constantino Chiwenga. This means that Chiwenga’s influence in the war veterans group is growing. Mutsvangwa and Matemadanda, on the other hand, were known to support Mnangagwa, but they have lost power.
When Mnangagwa took over from Robert Mugabe in 2017, Mutsvangwa was very close to him. He became one of his key advisers. Later, he served as the Minister of War Veterans. However, things changed for him. In 2018, Mnangagwa removed him from his adviser role. Then in February this year, he was also fired as the Minister of War Veterans.
Matemadanda has also faced problems. He is currently Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Mozambique. Before this, he was the Secretary-General of the war veterans and a Zanu PF political commissar. His recent defeat shows that he no longer has strong support among the war veterans.
This loss comes at a very important time. Zanu PF’s annual conference is coming soon, on October 22, in Bulawayo. The war veterans’ election results give more power to Chiwenga. This is very important because the war veterans play a big role in Zanu PF politics.
Right now, Mnangagwa and Chiwenga are fighting for control of the party. Both of them want to be in charge. This election result gives Chiwenga more power because he now has more support from the war veterans.
There are rumors that Mnangagwa wants to stay in power beyond 2028. Zimbabwe’s constitution only allows a president to have two terms. Mnangagwa’s second term will end in 2028. However, some people say he wants to change the rules so that he can stay until 2030. Mnangagwa has denied this, but many people do not believe him. Chiwenga and his team are strongly against Mnangagwa staying beyond 2028. This is causing more tension in Zanu PF.
Since Mnangagwa took over from Mugabe, Zimbabwe has not seen much change. Many people hoped he would bring new ideas and improve the country. However, he has mostly followed Mugabe’s way of ruling. The country is still struggling, and many Zimbabweans are disappointed.
This recent election shows that things are changing inside Zanu PF. Mnangagwa’s team is losing power, while Chiwenga’s influence is growing. With the Zanu PF conference coming soon, things could get even more interesting. Many people will be watching to see what happens next in Zimbabwe’s politics.
Your narrative unfairly paints internal democratic processes as signs of weakness. The recent election among the war veterans is a reflection of our commitment to accountability and evolution, not a sign that Mnangagwa’s team is falling apart. Instead of propagating these divisive claims, you should acknowledge that change within ZANU PF is a sign of strength, not a crisis.
It’s obvious that your piece is driven by an agenda to discredit our leadership. The losses of Mutsvangwa and Matemadanda are being blown out of proportion to serve external interests that seek to undermine our unity.
Your article is a deliberate attempt to smear our party’s internal dynamics. You twist the facts to claim that Mnangagwa’s allies are crumbling, but what you’re calling ‘change’ is simply the natural evolution of our leadership. Our party has always welcomed healthy debate and renewal, and your biased narrative ignores the strength and unity that still exists within ZANU PF.
What you’re reporting is nothing more than a politically motivated exaggeration. Losing a couple of key figures in one election doesn’t spell disaster for our leadership. Instead, it shows that our party is adapting and allowing fresh voices to emerge. Your focus on this supposed defeat is an unfair attack designed to destabilize our proven track record of governance.