Chiwenga claims to have Monomotapa royal blood and has ties with Ndebele royalty

VICE-PRESIDENT Constantino Chiwenga last week told his in-laws that he has royal blood, given that his grandfather was the last Monomotapa while his family has ties with Ndebele royalty, a revelation observers said was an attempt to seek validation to lead the country and likely confirmation that he still holds ambitions to take over as Zimbabwe's leader at some point.

In a 15-minute video recording while addressing his new in-laws, relatives of his wife, Miniyothabo Baloyi, Chiwenga said his family has always been associated with leadership and destined to live long because of "longevity genes."

Chiwenga is widely tipped to challenge President Emmerson Mnangagwa at the October Zanu-PF elective congress.

"From where I was born, our great grandfather was the last Monomutapa and the sister was the Chief in Nkayi and she was married to Mzilikazi as one of the wives," Chiwenga revealed.

"So it goes on like that. I had to tell the story to my beautiful wife," he added, saying together with his children, they had gone to Tanzania for the family to understand the history that led to the family settling in present-day Zimbabwe.

Chiwenga said Zimbabweans should persevere as the end to their misery was nigh.

"We went into the wilderness for over 40 years but we did not get to the objective," he said.

"We now need to get to the objective; we have been in the wilderness for a long time like the Jews."

The former army boss, who played an instrumental role in the military coup that toppled the late former president Robert Mugabe in November, 2017, has kept his ambition to challenge Mnangagwa in the forthcoming congress a closely guarded secret, but his close associates confirmed that he will throw his hat in the ring.

Groundwork is in progress as seen by increasing factional fights in the party.

Insiders said Mnangagwa and Chiwenga had a "gentlemen's agreement" after the coup that the Zanu-PF leader would lead for one term then handover to Chiwenga.

However, those close to Chiwenga said Mnangagwa is now reneging on the agreement by refusing to hand over power, a development that has strained relations between the two.

In his speech, Chiwenga also took time to tell the new in-laws how he has taken Baloyi to countries and places of historical significance while giving her background on African history.

"My grandmother was not born here, she was born Ezansi and she came as a baby," Chiwenga said.

"In 1888 when Robert Moffat came, she is the first one who gave him water in a caravan. When you go to the State House today, you go behind the State House, there is a door which faces the hill, if you go through that door and straight behind, there is a small little hut. That is my grandmother's hut. That is her history and died at 122 years," Chiwenga added.

"We think we have got the genes, longevity genes. Two weeks ago we went to Hwedza, our home, to congratulate my auntie, my father's sister who turned 100 years, my father's sister."

Chiwenga also said that Mnangagwa also has links with Ndebele royalty, saying: "The President's grandfather, Mubengu, was taken when he was a little boy by Mzilikazi and was kept at the royal kraal until he was put in the Mbizo regiment."

"At the Battle of Pupu, he is the one who threw the spear that killed the last white man there. That is why you hear the President say he wants to build a statue for general Mtshana Khumalo."