In an escalation of ZANU PF’s internal succession war, Zimbabwe’s Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has allegedly urged First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa to move swiftly and decisively to fire Vice President Constantino Chiwenga—declaring that the former general should “forget about succeeding President Mnangagwa in 2028.”
The revelation comes from a pair of high-level, JOC-style meetings—first held in Borrowdale, then at Precabe Farm, President Mnangagwa’s private estate. The gatherings were attended by Mnangagwa himself, Ziyambi, State Security Minister Lovemore Matuke, First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa, and senior operatives including Owen ‘Mudha’ Ncube. Sources say the meetings bore the hallmarks of a Joint Operations Command (JOC) council, even if not officially designated as such.
According to leaked intelligence notes, the agenda was clear: to eliminate internal resistance to Mnangagwa’s continued rule and neutralize potential threats—including Chiwenga and Retired Lieutenant General Engelbert Rugeje. One attendee reportedly volunteered to “carry out the task,” referencing a prior failed operation targeting Rugeje, where gunfire erupted but the former general was absent from the property.
The Precabe meeting followed a tense session in Borrowdale, where the newly installed army commander reportedly warned that if Chiwenga were removed, “the barracks will be hot to touch,” and even he, the commander, might not be able to enter. The statement was viewed as a stark reminder of Chiwenga’s lingering grip on the military.
Ziyambi, meanwhile, has privately dismissed any suggestion that Chiwenga remains in line to succeed Mnangagwa. In a WhatsApp exchange with ZimEye, he shot back at claims the VP was being groomed for 2028: “Who said he cannot be elected in 2030?”—a loaded statement widely interpreted as confirmation that Chiwenga has been politically iced out.
Inside sources close to Auxillia Mnangagwa say she’s grown increasingly wary of Chiwenga’s ambitions and has aligned herself with efforts to extend ED’s rule beyond 2028. Ziyambi reportedly cited a resolution “launched last year at Precabe by Shamu and Tshabangu in ED’s presence” that laid the groundwork for Mnangagwa’s prolonged stay in power, bypassing any VP-led transition.
The meeting reportedly turned theatrical when Mfanha Mutamba declared, “Shefu, if you want me to go arrest him (Chiwenga), I can do it,” underscoring the volatile nature of the political climate and the raw loyalty driving these confrontations.
While Chiwenga has remained publicly silent, insiders suggest he is consolidating support within the military and war veterans. With the JOC-like gatherings deepening factional divides, Zimbabwe finds itself on the brink of a dangerous internal showdown—one not fought in parliament or at the ballot box, but behind closed doors at Precabe.
