Harare, Zimbabwe — April 28, 2025

By Farai D Hove | ZimEye | In another blow to Zimbabwe’s military establishment, Air Vice Marshal (Retired) Winnie Cabby Mandeya, a celebrated liberation war veteran and senior officer of the Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ), has died under circumstances that, while officially described as natural, fuel growing suspicions of a systematic purge of generals once instrumental in the 2017 ouster of Robert Mugabe.

Mandeya, aged 64, passed away early Monday morning at St Anne’s Hospital in Harare. Confirming her death, Air Marshal Jacob John Nzvede said Mandeya was “a determined cadre” who had served the Air Force with “dedication and loyalty” since 1984, after an illustrious record during Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle.

A funeral parade is set to be held at Manyame Air Force Base on Tuesday, while mourners have gathered at her Borrowdale home, 766 Hogerty Hill, Harare.

Mandeya’s death adds to a growing and troubling list: over 30 senior generals have died since the 2017 military-assisted transition that saw Emmerson Mnangagwa ascend to power. Analysts and insiders alike warn that these deaths are unlikely to be coincidental.

The Generals Are Falling — And Not by Chance

Since the dramatic events of November 2017, when tanks rolled into Harare and the long-serving Mugabe was ousted, Zimbabwe’s political landscape has been dominated by the military elite who engineered the change. Yet, the architects of that transition are now falling one by one.

Among the notable deaths:

• General Trust Mugoba, once feared and respected, was found dead under murky circumstances last year. Though officially attributed to “natural causes,” numerous sources suggested foul play, with Mugoba allegedly viewed as a rising threat to entrenched interests.
• Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, the former military commander who spearheaded the 2017 coup, reportedly survived a poisoning attempt that left him gravely ill. His brush with death rattled the establishment and heightened fears of an internal “silent war.”
• Air Marshal Elson Moyo, a critical figure in the Air Force’s reorganization, died in a suspicious road “accident” — many believe the crash was orchestrated.
• General Sibusiso Moyo, the face of the coup who famously announced the military intervention on television, died abruptly, fueling speculation of an ongoing purge.
• Generals Paradzai Zimondi and Reuben Mlauzi similarly died in circumstances that left more questions than answers.

The sheer number of fatalities among key military figures raises the specter of an internal power struggle as ZANU PF’s battle for succession intensifies.

The Mgagao Shadow and ZANU PF’s Chronic Succession Crisis

ZANU PF’s leadership has long been shaped by the military, dating back to the 1975 Mgagao Declaration where liberation war commanders first asserted their political influence. Post-independence, every major leadership transition — including Mugabe’s fall — bore the fingerprints of the military.

Today, as the question of Mnangagwa’s successor looms large, and with factionalism rife inside the ruling party, the military’s grip on political outcomes is once again being tested. However, the deaths of veterans like Mandeya suggest that the old guard is being systematically dismantled — either through natural attrition, covert assassinations, or a mix of both.

A Shadowy New Force?

Intelligence sources hint at the emergence of a clandestine group within the military and political apparatus, determined to reshape Zimbabwe’s leadership landscape. According to one military insider, “The struggle now is no longer just political — it’s existential. No one trusts anyone. Those who were kingmakers in 2017 have become liabilities.”

This shadow network allegedly aims to sideline or eliminate any figure perceived as disloyal or ambitious enough to challenge the emerging new order. The pattern is chillingly familiar: marginalization, surveillance, unexplained illnesses, fatal “accidents.”

Zimbabwe Holds Its Breath

As the nation mourns yet another decorated military hero, Zimbabweans are left grappling with an unsettling reality: the fight for power has entered a deadly phase. With the 2028 elections approaching and Mnangagwa’s succession plans unclear, the stakes have never been higher.

In a land where history is soaked with the blood of liberation fighters and power struggles, the latest chapter in Zimbabwe’s political saga is being written in shadows, whispers, and sudden funerals.

The death of Air Vice Marshal (Retired) Winnie Mandeya is not just a personal tragedy — it is another piece in a dangerous and evolving puzzle, one whose endgame remains dangerously uncertain.