Zimbabwe’s Vice President, General (Rtd) Constantino Dominic Guvheya Nyikadzino Chiwenga is a very powerful man in Zimbabwe, probably the strongest Vice President Zimbabwe has ever had.
He’s the military general who orchestrated the 2017 coup that ousted the feared Robert Mugabe, but he’s also the politician who has been accused of human rights abuses. He also stands accused of being too hard on his ex-wife, Marry Mubaiwa-Chiwenga. He’s a powerful figure with a penchant for luxury, but he’s also a man who has been dogged by health issues and controversy.
According to a report by The African Report, Here are 10 things you probably didn’t know about Vice President Chiwenga:
- Mugabe’s Biggest Blunder: In a move that would ultimately seal his fate, Robert Mugabe planned to arrest Chiwenga at Harare’s Robert Mugabe International Airport upon his return from a trip to China. However, in a scene straight out of a spy thriller, Chiwenga, disguised in airport personnel attire, disarmed the police officers sent to detain him. This bold act marked the beginning of the end for Mugabe’s reign.
“Before the coup, Mugabe had planned to arrest Chiwenga at the Robert Mugabe International Airport in Harare upon his return from a trip to China. However, in a movie-style theatric, Chiwenga is said to have outwitted Mugabe with his security attire, which was similar to that of airport personnel. He disarmed the police officers who had been sent to arrest him. This marked the beginning of the end of Mugabe’s presidency,” a source told The Africa Report.
- Alleged Assassination Attempt: Chiwenga’s relationship with his ex-wife, Marry Mubaiwa, has been marred by a bitter legal battle. He accused her of attempting to assassinate him in 2019 while he was undergoing treatment in South Africa, alleging she removed his life support machines. This led to Mubaiwa’s arrest and a series of court battles. She was convicted of forging their marriage certificate and faces further trials for fraud, money laundering, and attempted murder.
“On 27 November 2019, he filed a criminal report accusing her of trying to assassinate him. Mubaiwa was arrested on 14 December 2019, which was the beginning of vicious court battles,” The Africa Report reported.
- Unforgiving Nature: The court case against Mubaiwa has highlighted Chiwenga’s perceived unforgiving nature. Despite her health struggles, including lymphoedema which causes swelling and sores, she has been repeatedly brought to court, often in an ambulance and on a stretcher. This has raised concerns about her human rights and whether the case is politically motivated.
“She suffers from lymphoedema — a condition that causes sores and swelling in her arms and legs. On several occasions, she was brought to court in an ambulance, carried into the building on a stretcher, and then wheeled in by paramedics with an IV drip hanging by her side. On 2 October 2021, she collapsed in court. She collapsed again on 17 January 2022. In October 2022, her hand was amputated. Mubaiwa has publicly complained on X that Chiwenga denied her access to their three children,” The Africa Report noted.
“Someone [who] cannot forgive an ex-wife cannot forgive a political enemy,” said Tinashe Gumbo, a Zimbabwean political analyst based in Nairobi.
- Fourth Marriage: Chiwenga has been married four times, with his current wife being Colonel Miniyothabo Baloyi, a serving army colonel. This follows his previous marriages to Jocelyn Jacobsen Mauchaza and Marry Mubaiwa, both of which ended in divorce.
“After three previous marriages and divorces, Chiwenga is now on his fourth marriage. In December 2023, he wedded Colonel Miniyothabo Baloyi, a serving army colonel in the Zimbabwe National Army,” The Africa Report reported.
- Presidential Ambitions: Despite denying any desire to replace President Mnangagwa, Chiwenga’s move from the military to politics suggests he harbors presidential ambitions. His past actions, including his involvement in the 2017 coup and his handling of civil servants’ protests, have raised questions about his leadership style.
“Some say Chiwenga is too ambitious and that his eyes are fixed on the presidency. There are even reports that he leads a ZANU-PF faction that wants to remove Mnangagwa – a speculation he has denied in the past,” The Africa Report reported.
“President Mnangagwa has my blood and I have his blood. We are one,” Chiwenga told journalists.
“But Mukundu says his move from the barracks to politics indicates he has presidential ambitions,” The Africa Report noted.
- Political General: Chiwenga’s interest in politics was evident during his time as an army general, when he actively campaigned for ZANU-PF in the 2008 and 2013 elections. He has even declared that he would never salute an opposition leader, highlighting his unwavering loyalty to the ruling party.
“He, like several other army generals in Zimbabwe, vowed he would never salute an opposition leader,” The Africa Report reported.
“A 2010 Wikileaks cables report revealed that Brigadier General Herbert Chingono and Major General Fidelis Satuku of the Zimbabwean army once told former US Ambassador to Zimbabwe Charles Ray that Chiwenga was not “fit for the job” of army general, and described him as a “political general”,” The Africa Report noted.
- Liberation War Credentials: Chiwenga’s participation in the liberation war against the Rhodesian regime gives him valuable political capital in Zimbabwe. His nom de guerre, Dominic Chinenge, is a reminder of his past as a ZANLA fighter and his connection to the country’s history.
“His military history shows that he participated in the liberation struggle that ushered in Zimbabwe’s independence, joining the bush war in 1973 from Mozambique. In ZANU-PF politics, liberation war credentials are revered,” The Africa Report reported.
- Harsh Health Minister: Chiwenga’s tenure as Health Minister was marked by controversy. Despite lacking any medical qualifications, he ran the ministry with a military-style approach, leading to numerous strikes by healthcare workers over low pay and poor working conditions. He fired 16,000 nurses in 2018 and made disparaging remarks about the medical profession, deploying army doctors and nurses to hospitals during strikes.
“In April 2018, Chiwenga fired 16,000 nurses after they demanded better wages. He claimed the nurses’ strikes were politically motivated. In January 2019, when junior doctors went on strike, he degraded their profession. “The doctor is a skilled technician or labourer whose knowledge fits him for an occupation but not a profession,” he said. Army doctors and nurses were then deployed to hospitals,” The Africa Report reported.
“It was during Chiwenga’s tenure as health minister that the controversial Health Service Amendment Act, which criminalises any collective job action by health personnel that goes beyond 72 hours, was crafted. Under the legislation, striking health personnel can be imprisoned for six months,” The Africa Report noted.
- Medical Tourism: Despite his stance on seeking medical treatment within Zimbabwe, Chiwenga has repeatedly sought medical care abroad, particularly in China and South Africa. This has raised questions about his commitment to improving the country’s healthcare system.
“As health minister, Chiwenga preferred receiving medical treatment outside the country, in order to avoid Zimbabwe’s dilapidated health system. On several occasions, Chiwenga has been airlifted to China and South Africa to get treated for undisclosed health conditions,” The Africa Report reported.
“In 2020, he told journalists in Harare that the government would no longer avail foreign currency to assist ministers and senior government officials to seek medical assistance out of the country. Six months later, he was flown to China for medical treatment,” The Africa Report noted.
- Doctorate Degree Questioned: Chiwenga’s doctorate degree in ethics from the University of KwaZulu Natal has been questioned, with allegations that he hired someone to write his thesis. This led to a $5 million lawsuit against former higher education minister Jonathan Moyo, who had publicly questioned the validity of the degree.
“Chiwenga’s doctorate degree in ethics from the University of KwaZulu Natal in South Africa has been questioned, amid allegations that he hired someone to author his thesis in fulfilment of the programme’s requirements. In 2017, he sued former higher education minister Jonathan Moyo in a $5m lawsuit after Moyo claimed Chiwenga cheated to get the PhD,” The Africa Report reported.
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is a complex and powerful figure, both in Zimbabwe politics and in the military circles as he still commands a lot of support amongst the decorated and ordinary soldiers. His actions, both in the military and in politics, have shaped Zimbabwe’s recent history.
