Mnangagwa Slams Chiwenga Over Corruption Allegations, Labels Actions as Treasonous

October 15, 2025 6 min read

Mnangagwa Slams Chiwenga

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Mnangagwa Slams Chiwenga Over Corruption Allegations, Labels Actions as Treasonous

HARARE, Zimbabwe – Zimbabwe’s political landscape was rocked today as President Emmerson Mnangagwa slams Chiwenga, his own Vice President, in an explosive public accusation that has plunged the ruling Zanu-PF party into its most severe crisis in years. The President has officially accused Vice President Constantino Chiwenga of treason, a charge that followed the circulation of a damning dossier on high-level corruption within the party.

This is a full-blown political war, not a minor disagreement. For a sitting president to accuse his deputy of treason is a move with profound consequences for the nation’s stability. It signals a complete breakdown of trust at the highest level of government. The open hostility confirms long-held fears of a deep and bitter power struggle. The political alliance that saw Mnangagwa and Chiwenga work together to oust Robert Mugabe in 2017 has now completely disintegrated.

This dramatic confrontation is unfolding just days before the party’s crucial National People’s Conference in Mutare. This event will now be the main stage for a battle that could determine the future of Zanu-PF and Zimbabwe.

Speaking for the President, Zanu-PF’s Legal Affairs Secretary, Ziyambi Ziyambi, held a press conference to deliver the President’s furious response. He described the Vice President’s corruption report as a document built on lies, with the single, malicious goal of removing the President from power.

“The core purpose of this dossier is to call for the illegal removal of a democratically elected President,” Ziyambi declared. “This is a very serious act that borders on treason. This isn’t just political talk; these claims damage our President’s leadership, hurt Zimbabwe’s fragile economy, and chase away investors that our country desperately needs.”

Why Mnangagwa Slams Chiwenga: The Dossier and the “2030 Agenda”

To understand why Mnangagwa slams Chiwenga with such force, one must look at two critical issues. The first is the controversial corruption dossier itself. In this report, Vice President Chiwenga is said to have named specific, high-ranking government officials and party leaders. He accuses them of enriching themselves through corrupt state contracts and deals, arguing that this greed is destroying the party’s moral standing and betraying the promises of the revolution. The dossier was seen by the President’s office as a direct attack on his inner circle and, by extension, on his leadership.

The second, and perhaps more significant, issue is a political plan known as the “2030 Agenda.” This is a campaign by Mnangagwa’s loyalists to amend Zimbabwe’s Constitution. The primary goal is to remove the two-term limit for a president. If they are successful, this change would allow Mnangagwa to run for a third term and potentially rule well beyond 2028, the year his second and final term is legally required to end.

Vice President Chiwenga is completely against this plan. His dossier reportedly frames the “2030 Agenda” as an illegal power grab that will turn Zimbabwe into a pariah state. He warns that violating the Constitution will shatter the unity of Zanu-PF, leading to widespread instability. As the former general who put Mnangagwa in power, Chiwenga clearly sees himself as the rightful successor and views this agenda as a personal betrayal designed to block his path to the presidency.

However, Ziyambi Ziyambi framed the President’s position as one that respects the people. “President Mnangagwa has always been a defender of the Constitution of Zimbabwe,” Ziyambi insisted. “But when the structures of the party speak with a united voice, demanding that he continue his excellent work, he cannot ignore that powerful call.”

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The Economic Cost of a Political War

While the political elites wage war, the ordinary people of Zimbabwe bear the heaviest burden. The nation’s economy is already in a desperate state, and this public battle at the top makes a terrible situation much worse.

For many years, Zimbabweans have faced extreme economic hardship. This includes runaway hyperinflation that makes their savings and salaries worthless, one of the highest unemployment rates in the world, and collapsing public services like hospitals and schools. For the economy to even begin to recover, it needs stability and investment. The news that Mnangagwa slams Chiwenga sends a message of extreme instability to the world.

International companies and investors look for predictable and safe environments to put their money. When they see a president accusing his own deputy of treason, they see a country on the brink of chaos. They will take their money and the jobs they could create to other, more stable nations.A report from the World Bank has consistently identified political risk and poor governance as the main reasons for Zimbabwe’s failure to attract significant foreign investment.

Furthermore, major global financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have clear conditions for providing the large-scale loans Zimbabwe needs. These conditions always include political stability and good governance. This very public and ugly fight makes it nearly impossible for Zimbabwe to meet those conditions. For more on the party’s history, you can read our in-depth analysis of Zanu-PF politics .

Mutare Conference: The Final Showdown

The Zanu-PF conference in Mutare has now been transformed from a standard party meeting into a historic battleground. It will be the venue where the two powerful factions, one loyal to the President and the other to the Vice President, will finally have their confrontation.

President Mnangagwa’s supporters will arrive with a clear mission: to politically crush the Vice President. They will likely try to pass resolutions that officially condemn Chiwenga, strip him of his party powers, and formally endorse the “2030 Agenda.” Their goal is to make it clear that Mnangagwa’s authority is absolute.

However, Vice President Chiwenga’s faction will not go down without a fight. They will rally support around the ideas of constitutionalism and the need for a leadership transition. Chiwenga’s power is not just symbolic; it is rooted in his deep history with the country’s military. As the former Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, he is respected and feared. Many soldiers and officers are believed to be more loyal to him than to the President. You can read more about his influential past in our profile, Who is Constantino Chiwenga? .

The outcome in Mutare is uncertain but will be decisive. If Mnangagwa wins and purges his rival, his power will be stronger than ever. But if Chiwenga’s support is strong enough to resist, the party could fracture, potentially leading to a period of dangerous chaos for the entire nation.