By Political Reporter-Just days after emerging victorious in the Zanu PF power struggle in Bulawayo, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is accelerating efforts to consolidate control by extending his influence over the judiciary, a powerful signal as he prepares to contest the 2028 presidential election.
Chiwenga, a former military general, was in Victoria Falls on Thursday, where he held a significant face-to-face meeting with Zimbabwe’s top judicial officials at the seventh congress of the Conference of African Constitutional Courts.
His message highlighted the importance of “transparency, fairness, and accountability,” but his swift alignment with the judiciary has raised concerns about Zanu PF’s entrenched history of using both the judiciary and military as tools for election manipulation.
Historically, Zanu PF has maintained a tight grip on Zimbabwe’s judiciary.
During Robert Mugabe’s regime, Justice Rita Makarau was appointed as the chair of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), where allegations of partisan decisions and military influence in electoral operations marked her oversight.
When Mnangagwa rose to power, he appointed Priscilla Chigumba as ZEC chair, a figure criticized for shielding Zanu PF from accusations of rigging and resisting calls for electoral transparency.
Makarau and Chigumba became symbols of Zanu PF’s longstanding manipulation of legal and electoral institutions, casting doubts on the credibility of elections under Mugabe and Mnangagwa.
Chiwenga’s rise, however, signals a shift of power back to an overt military rule.
During his address at the congress, Chiwenga emphasized a vision for Africa’s constitutional courts to uphold “human dignity” and “the rule of law,” yet his actions reflect the prioritization of military-backed governance over democratic ideals.
The congress, attended by judicial representatives from countries like Russia, Turkey, and Iraq—nations that are often criticized for democratic deficiencies—showed an alignment with similar governance models, raising further alarms about Chiwenga’s intentions.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa, is preparing to challenge Chiwenga in the 2028 election, promising a vision of democratic renewal.
Chamisa, who recently reaffirmed his dedication to “a Zimbabwe built with clean hands, not stained by the blood of citizens,” represents a stark contrast to Chiwenga’s consolidation of military influence.
In his speech in Masvingo, Chamisa vowed to honour the democratic legacy of his late mentor, Morgan Tsvangirai, by pushing for a just and accountable government.
Chiwenga’s power move in capturing the judiciary points toward a likely continuation of Zanu PF’s military-driven tactics.
With his grip solidified, Zimbabwe risks deepening its authoritarian state machinery, leaving little room for the opposition to challenge the party’s rule without facing the full might of the military-controlled judiciary.
As the nation inches closer to the 2028 elections, the battle between Chiwenga and Chamisa embodies a crossroads for Zimbabwe: between an entrenched military authority and a renewed call for democracy.