Chiwenga warns Mnangagwa ally

Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga had a dramatic and tense exchange with Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Owen "Mudha" Ncube last week, warning the Mnangagwa loyalist to stop targeting him amid a widening rift over controversial Zanu-PF plans to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa's stay in power beyond 2028.

The confrontation, witnessed by senior government officials and party leaders, occurred on Wednesday at Mutapa Community Hall in Gweru, where Chiwenga was officiating the handover of the Independence Day flame to Midlands Province.

Sources at the event described a visibly irate Chiwenga who, while greeting ministers and senior Zanu-PF officials, paused upon reaching Ncube and told him sternly:

"You are hunting for me. What will happen when the hunter becomes the hunted?"

Witnesses say the former State Security minister appeared shocked and responded only with a forced grin, leaving many stunned by the VP's bluntness.

"The situation was very tense," said a senior Midlands Zanu-PF official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "Everyone could feel something was brewing beneath the surface."

Ncube and other vocal backers of the so-called "2030 Agenda" - a push to have Mnangagwa stay in power beyond the constitutional limit - did not wear their usual regalia or chant slogans in support of the extension, a notable departure from recent party gatherings.

The incident signals growing cracks within Zanu-PF as the battle to succeed Mnangagwa heats up. Party spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa recently confirmed to UK-based investigative outlet DugUp that Mnangagwa is not keen on Chiwenga succeeding him, adding that the campaign to extend the president's term is aimed at blocking the VP's path to power.

"That guy wanted to be anointed... How do you do that? You're squaring a circle!" said Mutsvangwa. "The president is saying no, we must go for elections. That's normal for a democratic party."

Behind the scenes, Mnangagwa's loyalists are said to be moving to weaken Chiwenga's influence within the security establishment. Last month, the president abruptly retired Zimbabwe National Army commander Lieutenant General Anselem Sanyatwe, a key Chiwenga ally, and reassigned him to head the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture.

Analysts believe the move was strategic - aimed at diluting Chiwenga's power base ahead of a potential leadership challenge.

Meanwhile, Mnangagwa allies are reportedly pushing to replace Chiwenga with businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei, who recently received endorsement from Zanu-PF Harare Province for elevation to the party's Central Committee.

"Mnangagwa is under pressure from certain party elements to fire Chiwenga," said a senior party insider. "They fear he might come after them for corruption if he becomes president."

Chiwenga has, in recent months, stepped up public condemnation of corruption, often warning that graft by politically connected elites poses a national security threat. Notably, the VP has avoided participating in the 2030 slogan chants during public events - an omission seen by many as a deliberate political signal.

War veterans such as Blessed Geza have also ramped up pressure on Mnangagwa, openly calling for his removal and warning that impeachment processes could be launched.

Chiwenga played a pivotal role in Mnangagwa's rise to power, leading the military coup that ousted Robert Mugabe in 2017. But with loyalty within Zanu-PF increasingly fragmented, the once solid alliance between the president and his deputy appears to be unraveling.

As the battle for Zimbabwe's future leadership intensifies, insiders warn that the fallout could reshape the political landscape - with far-reaching implications for the ruling party and the country.