By James Gwati- Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has escaped three assassination attempts since leading the coup that ousted former President Robert Mugabe in November 2017.

The first incident occurred in 2018 at White City Stadium in Bulawayo when a grenade was thrown at the VIP section where Chiwenga was seated.

The explosion injured several people but left Chiwenga unscathed.

The second attempt, more personal and insidious, allegedly involved Chiwenga’s ex-wife, Marry.

Reports suggest that President Mnangagwa instructed her to poison Chiwenga.

When the poison failed to take effect, Marry reportedly followed him to a South African hospital, where he was in critical condition, and allegedly tried to disconnect the oxygen supply keeping him alive.

Chiwenga was later transferred to China, where doctors managed to detoxify him, though sources say he continues to suffer from lingering effects.

Marry is currently facing attempted murder charges related to these allegations.

The most recent attempt occurred on Sunday when an Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) helicopter assigned to transport Chiwenga to an official event in Masvingo crashed under suspicious circumstances.

Chiwenga reportedly opted out of the flight after receiving intelligence of a potential assassination plot.

Two pilots are said to have lost their lives in the crash, although AFZ has yet to officially confirm the fatalities.

At the time of the crash, Chiwenga was attending a family function in Bulawayo.

These incidents come amidst increasing tension between Chiwenga and Mnangagwa over the presidential succession.

In 2017, Mnangagwa allegedly made a “gentleman’s agreement” with the military, which facilitated Mugabe’s ouster, promising to hand over power to Chiwenga by 2028.

However, Mnangagwa is now believed to be reneging on this agreement, mobilizing his allies to extend his rule beyond the constitutionally mandated two terms, which end in 2028.

Rumors are swirling that Mnangagwa is considering replacing Chiwenga with Women’s League chairperson Mabel Chinomona at the upcoming Zanu PF party conference next month.

The assassination attempts are seen by some as part of a broader plot to eliminate Chiwenga from the political landscape before he can challenge Mnangagwa’s hold on power.

ZimEye is actively gathering more details on this developing story and will provide updates as they become available.