ZIMBABWE’S SILENT WAR: WHEN THE POWERFUL FIGHT, THE POOR SUFFER

Zimbabwe is not at peace. There may be no guns in the streets, but there is a war inside ZANU PF. It is a fight for power, money, and control of the army. The two biggest names in this war are Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga and President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s close friends. What they are fighting for is not the people’s future—it is their own survival.

Chiwenga has spoken again, and his words are sharper than ever. He called Mnangagwa’s allies “zvigananda,” meaning greedy and heartless people. He warned them that their time is coming and that they will face justice one day. These are not small words. They carry anger and truth. Chiwenga is clearly sending a message to those who have captured the system. He may be silent now, but he is not weak. He is waiting for the right time to strike.

Inside ZANU PF, Mnangagwa’s camp is using money to stay in charge. They have found a new face for their power—a rich businessman named Kudakwashe Tagwirei. Tagwirei is becoming more powerful by the day. He uses his money to win friends, host meetings, and push his way into politics. Mnangagwa’s men see him as the next leader after the President. But the truth is, Zimbabwe cannot be run by billionaires who buy loyalty while the poor starve.

Chiwenga’s side believes power does not come from money but from the army. They think the real battle for Zimbabwe’s future will not be decided at the ballot box but in the barracks. That is what makes this fight so dangerous. When soldiers become politicians, democracy dies. And in Zimbabwe, that has already begun.

There is also another man in the picture—General Philip Valerio Sibanda. He is now the head of the army, and many eyes are on him. Some believe he could be the next leader. Some say he is the only one who can stop Chiwenga. Others say he is the army’s favorite son. Whoever he is, one thing is clear: whoever controls the army, controls Zimbabwe.

Since independence, the army has never really left politics. During the liberation war, soldiers fought for freedom. But after 1980, they stayed in power. They became ministers, ambassadors, and business leaders. In 2017, they even removed Robert Mugabe and helped Mnangagwa become president. That moment showed the world that in Zimbabwe, soldiers decide who rules—not the people.

This is the real problem. When the army runs politics, there is no democracy. Elections become a game. People lose hope because their votes do not matter anymore. It is no longer about who the people want, but who the generals want. And when the powerful fight, it is always the poor who suffer.

Right now, while they plot and threaten each other, ordinary Zimbabweans are struggling to survive. There is no medicine in hospitals. Children are hungry. There are no jobs. Prices rise every day while the Zimbabwean dollar falls apart. People cannot afford to live, yet their leaders are fighting over who will be the next president.

Chiwenga’s warning shows how deep the cracks are in ZANU PF. These are men who once stood together to remove Mugabe. Now they are enemies. They no longer trust each other. And when there is no trust at the top, chaos follows below.

Zimbabwe needs peace, not power fights. It needs leaders who care more about citizens than about riches. Until that day comes, Zimbabwe will remain a battlefield without bullets—a silent war where the people always lose.

Chiwenga has spoken, but his words are only a shadow of the storm to come. The truth is painful but clear: Zimbabwe is bleeding quietly, and the poor are paying the price.