By Munacho Gwamanda-Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has made a bold political statement by landing in Gweru, the heart of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Midlands home province, to kickstart this year’s Independence Day celebrations.
Chiwenga, a former military general who helped Mnangagwa seize power in the 2017 coup, is this morning lighting the Independence Torch at Monomotapa Hall (Mtapa Hall), launching the countdown to the country’s 45th Independence Day commemorations.
His presence in Mnangagwa’s political stronghold is viewed by insiders as a calculated show of power amid deepening Zanu PF succession tensions.
Mnangagwa is currently in Kampala, Uganda attending the 11th session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD-11), and has controversially moved this year’s main Independence Day celebrations to his home province, Nembudziya in Gokwe North—a move analysts see as part of efforts to reinforce his grip on power and consolidate loyalty.
Adding fuel to the succession feud, Owen “Mudha” Ncube, Mnangagwa’s longtime ally and former State Security Minister, received Chiwenga at the Thornhill Airbase.
Mudha, now the Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs, is widely known for his anti-Chiwenga stance and is spearheading the so-called “2030 agenda”, a political blueprint aimed at extending Mnangagwa’s rule while sidelining Chiwenga’s presidential ambitions.
Chiwenga inspected an Air Force parade upon arrival, a symbolic gesture that echoes his military roots and hints at the enduring support he enjoys within sections of the security sector.
The power struggle between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga has simmered for years, ever since the two men joined forces to oust the late Robert Mugabe.
While Mnangagwa has hinted at retiring in 2028, his inner circle, led by figures like Mudha, is publicly lobbying for a constitutional amendment to allow him to run for a third term.
Chiwenga has been increasingly isolated in party structures, raising fears of a looming showdown that could shake the ruling party to its core.