ZANU PF AT WAR WITH ITSELF AS MNANGAGWA AND CHIWENGA CLASH FOR POWER
The deepening battles inside Zanu PF have once again exposed the ugly truth about Zimbabwe’s ruling party. President Emmerson Mnangagwa has turned his anger toward his own people, attacking a rival faction led by Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga. During a politburo meeting in Harare, Mnangagwa called his internal enemies “wolves in sheep’s clothing,” revealing how badly divided the party has become.
Chiwenga’s camp, backed by powerful figures in the military, has become bolder and more open in its challenge to Mnangagwa’s leadership. The war veterans, once the strongest defenders of Zanu PF, are now also speaking out, saying Mnangagwa has failed and must step down. The same people who helped him rise to power in 2017 are now turning against him. The once untouchable leader now finds himself surrounded by enemies within his own house.
In his speech, Mnangagwa tried to act strong. He said he is the true guardian of Zanu PF’s history and beliefs. He warned his critics not to spread “unfortunate and misplaced narratives” that could divide the party. He said real party members should stay loyal at all times — “Zanu PF by day and Zanu PF by night,” as he put it. But his words sounded desperate, not powerful. His message for unity no longer convinces anyone when the country is falling apart.
Under Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe has sunk even deeper into poverty. Inflation has destroyed people’s savings, corruption has become worse than ever, and ordinary citizens live with daily suffering. Basic services are collapsing, jobs are disappearing, and human rights are being crushed. Against this background, the Zanu PF infighting looks like a cruel joke — a group of greedy men fighting for power while the people starve.
Chiwenga and his loyalists see this as their moment. They believe Mnangagwa has become weak and is no longer useful to protect their interests. After all, it was Chiwenga who led the military coup that removed Mugabe and handed power to Mnangagwa. Now, that same power base is shifting again. The recent statement from war veterans that “Mnangagwa must go” shows how shaky the president’s position has become. The fear that once protected him is fading fast.
Mnangagwa’s attempt to hide behind ideology and slogans will not fix the crisis. He keeps speaking about discipline, loyalty, and the Chitepo School of Ideology, as if training programs can solve deep political wounds. But the truth is simple — the party is not fighting about ideology; it is fighting about power, money, and control.
The divisions inside Zanu PF show that the party no longer has a shared dream for the country. It is no longer about leading Zimbabwe forward, but about who gets to sit on the throne. Both Mnangagwa and Chiwenga claim to be patriots, yet neither of them speaks about the millions of Zimbabweans who suffer every day because of their greed and corruption.
As these two men and their followers continue to fight, the people are once again forgotten. Schools are underfunded, hospitals have no medicine, and prices rise daily while the powerful enjoy luxury. The struggle inside Zanu PF is not a fight for justice or reform — it is a fight for survival among wolves who have fed on the nation for too long.
What is happening now is the slow collapse of a corrupt empire. Whether Mnangagwa manages to cling to power or not, Zanu PF is breaking from the inside. The very tools it used to destroy others — fear, violence, and lies — are now turning against it. For the first time in decades, the ruling party is facing its greatest threat, not from the opposition, but from itself.
