By Munacho Gwamanda-Vice President Constantino Chiwenga officially returned to his position as the country’s second-in-command on Wednesday following the return of President Emmerson Mnangagwa from his month-long leave.
Chiwenga had been serving as Acting President for the past 10 days, having taken over from his co-deputy, Kembo Mohadi, who held the role for 19 days.
Chiwenga’s brief tenure as Acting President reignited long-standing tensions within Zanu PF, particularly between himself and Mnangagwa’s loyalists.
Over the years, the rivalry between the two has deepened, dating back to the 2017 coup that ousted Robert Mugabe.
While the military played a pivotal role in installing Mnangagwa as President, Chiwenga, then the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) commander, was widely perceived as the real architect of the power shift.
Since then, factional battles within Zanu PF have intensified, with Chiwenga’s camp angling for succession in 2028 when Mnangagwa is expected to step down.
During his recent stint at the helm, Chiwenga did not shy away from flexing his political muscle, issuing thinly veiled threats to Mnangagwa’s inner circle.
Addressing his supporters, he warned Mnangagwa’s loyalists, whom he derisively referred to as Zvigananda (bootlickers), that their time was running out.
He further suggested that some of them could face jail time when he ascends to the presidency in 2028.
This bold declaration sent shockwaves through Mnangagwa’s camp, as it was perceived as a direct challenge to the sitting President’s authority.
Despite the evident friction, Presidential spokesperson George Charamba downplayed any tensions upon Mnangagwa’s return.
In his statement, Charamba avoided addressing the political undercurrents, focusing instead on economic matters.
“The President is now officially back from his leave, and as you may know, there have been certain economic developments in the past few weeks. Remember, he had to break his leave last week to chair a meeting that focused on economic developments in the country. His major focus will now be on the economy, and some major decisions will be made in that regard,” Charamba stated.
Mnangagwa’s return also coincides with his upcoming diplomatic engagements.
He is set to lead a Southern African Development Community (SADC) delegation to Tanzania later this week for an extraordinary joint meeting with the East African Community (EAC) to discuss the security situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
While these international responsibilities take precedence, analysts argue that Mnangagwa will also have to turn his attention to the growing rift with Chiwenga and the internal power struggles that could shape Zimbabwe’s political future.