Mutsvangwa launches unrestrained attack on Chiwenga

Zanu-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa has unleashed a scathing attack on Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, calling him cruel, illiterate, and an electoral liability. The remarks have further escalated tensions within the ruling party and deepened the rift between Mutsvangwa and the retired army general, who is widely seen as a potential successor to President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

In an interview with Dug Up, Mutsvangwa expressed his discontent over Chiwenga's push to be anointed as Mnangagwa's successor, accusing the vice president of attempting to circumvent the democratic process. Mutsvangwa suggested that Chiwenga wanted Mnangagwa to appoint him as his successor before stepping down, labeling the move as politically misguided and unrealistic.

"That guy wanted to be anointed to become president, to become a successor to the president. So you want to remove the president, but before you do so you want him to appoint you? How do you do that? You're squaring a circle!" Mutsvangwa said.

Mutsvangwa, who harbors ambitions of leading Zanu-PF himself, mocked Chiwenga's chances of winning the party's endorsement, especially in light of his past actions and personal baggage. He pointed to the controversy surrounding Chiwenga's treatment of his former wife, Mary Mubaiwa, and claimed that the former model's arrest in 2019 had alienated him from female voters.

"Can you imagine half of the electorate are women in this country, more than half, and you've decapitated the legs and limbs of your former wife through cruelty and you're refusing her to see her children, including one she came with into your marriage?" Mutsvangwa said, emphasizing the damage to Chiwenga's public image.

Mutsvangwa went on to attack Chiwenga's educational background, labeling him as illiterate and unfit for the presidency. He ridiculed Chiwenga's inability to pronounce the letter "l" correctly, claiming that it was a sign of a lack of education. Mutsvangwa also dismissed Chiwenga's war credentials, claiming that he had played no significant role in the Democratic Republic of Congo war, despite testimonies from soldiers who recalled Chiwenga visiting them on the front lines.

"Going to war is no substitute for illiteracy and ignorance," Mutsvangwa said, asserting that those who had fought in the war had gone back to school and achieved higher education, unlike Chiwenga, who had not.

The remarks from Mutsvangwa have drawn sharp reactions from Chiwenga's supporters, with some accusing Mutsvangwa of acting with impunity. Gifford Gomwe, a former Zanu-PF official recently expelled from the party, demanded action against Mutsvangwa, describing his comments as an attack on both Chiwenga and President Mnangagwa.

"Honourable Vice President CDGN Chiwenga is a presidential appointee, and the attacks by Cde Mutsvangwa might seem as if the president has made a mistake in appointing him, which is also a direct attack on President Mnangagwa," Gomwe wrote in a letter addressed to Zanu-PF's Mashonaland West provincial chairperson.

Zanu-PF insiders report that Chiwenga is "absolutely fuming" over Mutsvangwa's comments and is set to meet with Mnangagwa on Monday to demand action against his rival. The ongoing power struggle within the ruling party has further intensified, with both Mutsvangwa and Chiwenga vying for the top leadership position.

As the battle for the future of Zanu-PF continues, the political landscape is growing increasingly polarized, with the party's internal divisions spilling out into the public sphere. The outcome of this power struggle could have significant implications for the party's prospects in the 2023 and 2028 elections.