By Munacho Gwanada-Opposition politician Nelson Chamisa narrowly escaped an assassination attempt orchestrated by Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU PF during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zimbabwe’s Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) devised a plan in 2020 to eliminate Chamisa and frame his death as a consequence of the coronavirus.
Chamisa, who contested the 2018 presidential election and lost narrowly to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, was reportedly identified as the primary threat to ZANU PF’s continued dominance.
The plan was, however, thwarted by internal resistance within the CIO.
Chamisa was not the only high-profile figure targeted during this period.
Several military generals who played key roles in the 2017 coup that ousted longtime ruler Robert Mugabe and installed Mnangagwa also died under mysterious circumstances, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis.
These deaths fueled speculation of a systematic purge aimed at consolidating Mnangagwa’s grip on power by eliminating potential challengers within the military and intelligence sectors.
Among those who died under suspicious circumstances were:
- General Sibusiso Moyo – The face of the 2017 coup, Moyo famously announced Mugabe’s removal on national television. He was later appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in Mnangagwa’s government but died suddenly in January 2021, officially due to COVID-19.
- Air Marshal Perrance Shiri – The former commander of the Air Force of Zimbabwe and later Minister of Lands, Shiri was a key figure in the coup. He passed away in July 2020, with the government citing COVID-19 as the cause, though suspicions of foul play remain.
- Major General Paradzai Zimondi – The former head of the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services, Zimondi was a liberation struggle veteran and an influential military figure. He died in January 2021, reportedly of COVID-19, adding to the growing list of high-ranking officials who perished under unexplained circumstances.
These deaths coincided with Mnangagwa’s aggressive moves to sideline perceived threats within the security establishment.
Observers noted a pattern where influential figures who had the capability to challenge Mnangagwa’s authority were being systematically removed.
According to a Shepherd Bushiri publicist, Former CIO Director-General Isaac Moyo reportedly resisted authorizing assassination plots against opposition figures, including Chamisa, which led to his eventual ousting.
Moyo, a career diplomat who had previously served as Zimbabwe’s ambassador to South Africa, was perceived by some within the CIO as too lenient.
His subordinates accused him of being “too nice” and unwilling to engage in covert operations that could solidify Mnangagwa’s hold on power.
According to the online news portal, Mnangagwa received intelligence assessments as early as 2020 criticizing Moyo’s leadership, particularly his refusal to authorize the elimination of political adversaries under the guise of COVID-19 deaths.
One such report, dated February 15, 2021, explicitly stated that Moyo had turned down two assassination operations targeting opposition leaders.
The plan, allegedly pushed by the CIO’s operative division, proposed using the pandemic as a cover to eliminate key opposition figures without attracting international scrutiny.
Moyo’s stance led to tensions within the agency. In a heated Joint Operations Command (JOC) meeting, his deputies openly confronted him, declaring, “You are not an operative.” He was further criticized for introducing internal reforms that were unpopular among CIO operatives, such as requiring them to surrender their identity cards at the end of each shift to curb abuses, demanding reports on excessive force, and restricting the carrying of weapons.
By January 2025, Mnangagwa had removed Moyo from his position, replacing him with Fulton Mangwanya, the former director-general of the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.
This move was widely interpreted as Mnangagwa tightening his control over the intelligence services and ensuring that the CIO remained loyal to his rule.