Fireworks at today’s Zanu PF’s politburo meeting and tomorrows Central Committee Meeting as General Chiwenga meets Mutsvangwa face to face

Harare – Zanu-PF is bracing for a potentially explosive week as the party’s politburo and central committee convene for crucial meetings at its headquarters today and tomorrow, respectively. The gatherings come on the heels of a damaging public attack by party spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa on Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, exposing deep factional divisions within the ruling party.

Political observers suggest these meetings will be key in assessing the mood within Zanu-PF following Mutsvangwa’s scathing remarks. The leaked audio, released by UK-based investigative unit Dug Up, captured Mutsvangwa describing Chiwenga as cruel, unelectable, and uneducated.

The leaked audio has sent ripples throughout the party, with some calling for disciplinary action against Mutsvangwa, while others remain silent, waiting to see how the situation unfolds.

Mutsvangwa’s explosive statements also shed light on the underlying tensions between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Chiwenga, reportedly revolving around the next Zanu-PF elective congress in 2027. Chiwenga is allegedly seeking an unchallenged endorsement as party leader and presidential candidate for the 2028 elections.

“This guy wants to be anointed as the President’s successor. He wants to remove him, but while removing him he is saying the President should anoint him. How do you do that?” Mutsvangwa questioned in the recording.

The Zanu-PF spokesperson also launched a personal attack on Chiwenga, criticising his leadership prospects by citing his controversial treatment of his ex-wife, Marry Mubaiwa, who suffers from acute lymphoedema.

“Can you imagine? Half of the electorate are women in this country and you have decapitated the limbs of your former wife through cruelty. You are refusing her the right to see her children, including the ones she came to you with,” Mutsvangwa stated. “He reeks of cruelty against all women in the country. He cannot win, so he does not want elections, but the President has upended him and told him to sell himself to the electorate,” he added.

Divisions Emerge Within Zanu-PF

Mutsvangwa’s remarks have further divided the party. Zanu-PF deputy national secretary for security Tendai Chirau took to X (formerly Twitter) to accuse the party spokesperson of trying to “re-write” the country’s history.

Adding to the fallout, Zanu-PF Mashonaland West provincial member Gifford Gomwe has called on provincial chairperson Mary Mliswa-Chikoka to take disciplinary action against Mutsvangwa.

In a letter dated March 15, 2025, Gomwe argued that Mutsvangwa had tarnished the reputation of the party and its leadership. “The statements made denigrating Vice-President Chiwenga affect the reputation of the party and the first secretary. Since Mutsvangwa is the party spokesperson, everything he says binds the party. As a concerned cadre, the effects of such utterances have a negative bearing and pose a security threat,” Gomwe wrote.

“The direct attack on Vice-President Chiwenga has negative implications for our international relations and the nation at large, eroding the gains of the new dispensation,” he added.

Purges and Fallout?

The two meetings also coincide with calls for nationwide demonstrations against the Mnangagwa administration by former Zanu-PF central committee member Blessed “Bombshell” Geza, who has urged Zimbabweans to protest on March 31 against the deteriorating economy and alleged corrupt activities.

Political analyst Ruben Mbofana believes the Zanu-PF meetings represent a “last-ditch effort” by Mnangagwa and his loyalists to maintain control.

“I see these meetings being a last ditch effort by Mnangagwa and his loyalists to ensure that the President remains in office even if the protests do take place,” Mbofana told NewsDay. He predicted that while party leaders may present a united front publicly, the meetings could become volatile behind closed doors.

“But behind closed doors, which will be something that will be announced, I’m sure, at a Press conference by Mnangagwa and the like, I see quite a few more purges. There could be a few expulsions again from the ruling party,” Mbofana said, suggesting Mnangagwa might be forced to expel more members, including those in the politburo and central committee.

Mbofana cautioned against drastic measures, citing the events of 2017, when the dismissal of Emmerson Mnangagwa as vice-president triggered a coup.

“But what would be the immediate result? I’m not sure because some purges can instigate even worse repercussions,” Mbofana said. “Look at what happened in 2017. The dismissal of Emmerson Mnangagwa as vice-president of Zanu PF and Zimbabwe is what triggered the coup,” he said. He suggested Zanu-PF might take a more cautious approach to avoid a similar fallout.

Zanu-PF Downplays Animosity

Despite the evident tensions, Zanu-PF director of information and publicity Farai Marapira has dismissed claims of animosity within the ruling party.

“These are our national leaders [Mnangagwa and Chiwenga] and they are working together. There is no animosity in the party. This is just social media creativity and malicious attempts to divide the party, but we are a revolutionary party which is united,” he said.

Whether Marapira’s claims hold true remains to be seen. The upcoming politburo and central committee meetings are poised to be a critical test of Zanu-PF’s unity and stability, with the potential for significant repercussions for the party and the country.