By Staff Reporter-Sources within Defence House have expressed concerns that an editorial blunder involving a controversial advert about President Emmerson Mnangagwa, published by a local weekly on Thursday, may have been deliberately orchestrated to intensify the ongoing power struggle between Mnangagwa and his deputy, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.

The advert, which appeared in the Financial Gazette, featured a message intended to celebrate Mnangagwa’sachievements. 

However, a glaring mistake resulted in the phrase “Rest in Peace” being printed alongside Mnangagwa’s name. This sparked an immediate backlash, with allegations flying that it was no mere accident but rather part of a broader political ploy.

Early Friday morning, suspected military officers stormed the home of Daily News editor Guthrie Munyuki. 

Although Munyuki was reportedly not at home during the 4 a.m. raid, armed men in two vehicles arrived at his residence, further deepening the suspicions surrounding the publication of the advert.

Sources believe the advert was strategically placed to make the public believe that Chiwenga, a former Army general and key player in Mnangagwa’s rise to power, harbours ambitions to see the president out of the picture—perhaps even dead. 

The ad’s timing coincides with increasing tensions between the two men, who have been locked in a bitter succession battle within the ruling Zanu PF.

Mnangagwa and Chiwenga’s political rivalry dates back to the military-led ousting of Robert Mugabe in 2017, which saw Mnangagwa ascend to the presidency with Chiwenga’s military backing. 

While initially allies, the relationship between the two has grown increasingly strained, particularly over succession issues and control of key state institutions.

Chiwenga, the architect of the coup, is said to feel sidelined in recent years, especially as Mnangagwa consolidates power within both the military and the party. 

Speculation has swirled that Chiwenga’s patience may be running thin, and incidents such as this advert blunder serve only to fuel the narrative of a deeply fractured leadership within Zanu PF.

The advert’s publication—and the subsequent targeting of Munyuki—raises concerns not only about freedom of the press but also about the lengths to which rival factions may go to undermine each other in their quest for power.

While there has been no official comment from either Mnangagwa’s camp or the ZDF, the incident has further exposed the fragility of the relationship between Zimbabwe’s two most powerful men.

Whether this was indeed an editorial mistake or a calculated act of political sabotage remains to be seen.