By A Correspondent
HARARE – President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government is facing renewed criticism amid allegations that state funds are being used to buy political loyalty under the guise of empowerment, with the latest example being a US$500,000 payout to the Children of Zimbabwe Liberation War Veterans Association.
The cash injection—branded as part of the Presidential Empowerment Initiative—was launched last week in Gweru and is allegedly being distributed among children of war veterans. However, critics say the scheme is more political than developmental.
According to internal party sources, recipients of the fund were selected based not on project merit but on political allegiance to Mnangagwa’s ZANU-PF faction. The fund, which is supposed to support income-generating projects, is seen by observers as a reward system designed to secure the loyalty of a key political constituency.
“This isn’t about uplifting lives—it’s about reinforcing power,” said a ZANU-PF youth league insider. “The Children of War Veterans have become a reliable support base, and this money is being used to keep them close.”
The association’s leadership confirmed that registration for the fund is ongoing, but concerns are growing about lack of transparency and accountability in how the money will be allocated. Sources allege that individuals critical of the party leadership or aligned with internal rivals have been sidelined from the list of beneficiaries.
A leaked internal circular reportedly instructed provincial leaders to prioritize “trusted cadres” and “politically aligned individuals” in the disbursement of the funds. This has led to frustration among some war veterans’ children, who say they are being excluded for refusing to engage in partisan politics.
Former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) youth assembly spokesperson Stephen Sarkozy Chuma said the initiative is a clear case of patronage politics masked as development.
“What we are witnessing is not empowerment—it is elite capture,” Chuma said. “Mnangagwa is using state resources as political bait to buy loyalty, especially from groups like the Children of War Veterans who are now seen as mobilizing agents ahead of internal ZANU-PF contests. It’s a classic case of transactional politics that undermines democratic governance.”
As Zimbabwe grapples with deepening economic hardship, deteriorating social services, and growing public frustration, critics argue that the use of public funds for political ends is not only unethical but destabilizing.
“No audits, no transparency—just raw politics wrapped in development rhetoric,” added one civil society watchdog in Harare.
With more “empowerment packages” reportedly on the way, including tractors and agricultural equipment, concerns are mounting that the initiative could evolve into a full-scale patronage machine ahead of the next electoral cycle.