Chiwenga fell out with Chivayo over unfulfilled cash promises?

Former Zanu-PF MP Temba Mliswa has sensationally alleged that Vice President Constantino Chiwenga's recent push to have businessman Wicknell Chivayo arrested is rooted in personal disputes rather than genuine anti-corruption efforts.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Mliswa claimed that Chiwenga's fallout with Chivayo originated from unfulfilled financial promises linked to the vice president's wedding to Miniyothabo Baloyi.

"From day one I argued that the VP's move was steeped in politics and a revenge move rather than actually fighting corruption," Mliswa wrote. He said Chivayo had failed to honour lavish pledges made around the wedding period.

According to Mliswa, Chivenga had requested six Rolls Royces and US$250,000 for wedding preparations, some of which Chivayo provided. Additional amounts were allegedly given to fund the honeymoon in Seychelles and to purchase gifts and apartments for the vice president's family, but an outstanding US$150,000 reportedly caused a rift.

Mliswa asserted that the alleged financial dispute was later presented publicly as an anti-corruption campaign targeting Chivenga's former ally. "A failure to promptly fulfil a financial promise is what irretrievably broke the relationship," he said.

The claims come amid heightened tensions in Zanu-PF's succession battle, with Chiwenga positioning himself as the face of a clean-up campaign targeting "corrupt cartels" linked to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, while Chivayo remains a close ally of the president and a major government contractor in energy, health, and defence procurement.

Neither Chiwenga nor Chivayo immediately responded to Mliswa's allegations.