By Political Correspondent | ZimEye
HARARE – First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa has publicly denied accusations that she is a danger to the lives of military generals or that she orchestrated a military-style takeover to install her convicted armed robber brother as Chief Negomo in Chiweshe, saying she never took part in the ceremony and was merely “sitting at the back row.”
The denial comes amid growing evidence, including video footage and eyewitness accounts, suggesting otherwise.
“No, no, no, I don’t fight anyone. I actually expect you to call me when there is something that you need,” Auxillia Mnangagwa told journalist Simba Chikanza in an exclusive recorded exchange. “You used to phone me over the Negomo stories. And I didn’t even go with those soldiers; I never didn’t even; I was actually sitting at the back row, and I didn’t even participate.”
The allegations are explosive. Investigations by ZimEye reveal that President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his newly graduated wife—who was controversially awarded a PhD in Tourism and Hospitality by Midlands State University—have been assembling a parallel power structure since 2021, reportedly involving a network of former criminals and armed actors. The motive? To fortify themselves against Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s military influence, which remains entrenched from the Mugabe era.
At the center of the current firestorm is Paradzai Kutyauripo, a former armed robber turned state official, now controversially crowned as Chief Negomo. Kutyauripo, who previously served four years at Chikurubi Maximum Prison for armed robbery, was released early under a presidential amnesty signed by Mnangagwa when he was Justice Minister. He now also holds the post of Director of State Residences, placing him in one of the most sensitive security portfolios in government.
“Is the nation safe?” asked Chikanza in the footage. “This is just one armed robber. What about his large network of accomplices, partners in crime? Now, he takes over the post of Chief Negomo. He also has another post that Emmerson Mnangagwa has given him—Director of all State Residences across the country. What does this mean? Any armed robber in the future who is running away from the police will simply seek refuge inside the State House, and that will be the end of any investigation.”
Despite the First Lady’s denials, multiple sources and video footage contradict her version of events. State media coverage shows her at the front row during the inauguration, not in the background as she claimed. One clip shows her addressing the gathered crowd with a microphone in hand. Other footage from the earlier military-led takeover depicts her arriving in a motorcade accompanied by soldiers, police, and Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) officers.
Community members say Auxillia’s entourage used intimidation tactics. Chief Negomo’s wife is seen crying on camera, alleging that Auxillia’s people attempted to seize her belongings.
“She [Auxillia] is out of her depth on what is happening,” said a relative of the chief. “She declared to everyone, ‘If you all don’t want this to happen, I will take the pin myself and wear it.’”
In response to this, Auxillia spoke to Chikanza for over 35 minutes, assuring the nation that she was not behind the incident.
The revelations are part of a wider investigation into power struggles within Zimbabwe’s ruling elite. The Mnangagwa-Chiwenga rivalry has long simmered beneath the surface, but this new chapter introduces a third axis of power—Auxillia Mnangagwa—wielding influence without precedent for a First Lady.