Zvigananda invites Chiwenga to business dinner

Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga has been invited as the guest of honour at the upcoming Matabeleland Business Dinner, set for July 25 at the Rainbow Hotel in Bulawayo. The event is being organised by business figures closely aligned with President Emmerson Mnangagwa, whom he reportedly refers to as "zvigananda" - a derogatory term used to describe opportunistic tenderpreneurs and dealers accused of corruption, looting of public resources, and operating through patronage networks.

According to some analysts, the dinner holds more political significance than business merit. It is being spearheaded by Mnangagwa's Zanu-PF faction and business allies, who are locked in an intensifying internal power struggle with Chiwenga and his camp within the ruling party.

At the heart of the conflict is the push by Mnangagwa's loyalists for a constitutional amendment to extend his presidency beyond 2030 - a move fiercely resisted by Chiwenga's faction, which views the succession debate as a matter of principle and personal political survival.

Sources say Chiwenga's invitation is viewed as an attempt to project unity within Zanu-PF and manage the optics of internal discord, even as the party's divisions grow deeper. However, the Vice-President's attendance is likely to be closely watched for signs of either de-escalation or further entrenchment of the rivalry.

"This dinner is not really about business; it's a political chess move disguised as a corporate event," said one analyst. "It's about who is seen to be in control of key regions like Matabeleland as the succession fight intensifies."

The battle between the two camps continues to shape high-level engagements, with gatherings such as this one increasingly serving as proxy stages for the broader struggle over Zanu-PF's future leadership.