Mthwakazi activist 'killed' in Russia-Ukraine war

A member of the Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) who gained national attention after publicly accusing President Emmerson Mnangagwa of responsibility for the deaths of his parents during the Gukurahundi atrocities has reportedly died while fighting for Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Wisdom Mkhwananzi, popularly known within MRP circles as Nkunzi or Gagisa, is believed to have been killed around December 11, 2025, shortly after completing military training and being deployed to the frontlines.

His death has not been officially confirmed by Russian authorities, but MRP leaders say information received from family members, survivors and associates strongly indicates that he died alongside other foreign recruits.

Speaking to CITE, MRP president Mqondisi Moyo said he had verified the information through discussions with Mkhwananzi's relatives, including his brother and aunt based in the United Kingdom.

"I can safely say that although people have been talking about it on social media, I have spoken to his brother and his aunt in the United Kingdom and from the information I have, it is almost confirmed that Mkhwananzi and some of his colleagues were killed on 11 December last year," Moyo said.

According to Moyo, the last conversation he had with Mkhwananzi was on December 7, 2025, after weeks of unsuccessfully trying to contact him.

"Gagisa told me he was already in Russia and had just completed his training on that day and was waiting for a vehicle because they were about to be deployed," Moyo said.

"He said before they had been in an area without network coverage. The other people I have spoken to also said they last spoke to him on December 7."

Moyo said Mkhwananzi had travelled to Russia between late October and November 2025, reportedly seeking better economic opportunities amid worsening financial hardships.

He said Mkhwananzi never directly informed him of his plans to travel to Russia.

"People had been talking that he was interested in going to Russia, but he never told me directly. If he had seen me, I was not going to allow him to go," Moyo said.

During their final conversation, Mkhwananzi reportedly explained that economic conditions in Zimbabwe and South Africa had pushed him to seek opportunities elsewhere to support his family.

"I asked him whether what he was doing was okay. He said life was hard in Zimbabwe, ‘akulampilo' and that the situation was also becoming difficult in South Africa. He said it was better for him to try somewhere else for the sake of his family," Moyo recalled.

According to Moyo, Mkhwananzi said he was part of a group of seven recruits that included four Zimbabweans and others from countries such as Kenya.

He also revealed that the recruits reportedly underwent only a short period of military training before deployment.

"I asked him how long the training had lasted and he said it had only been for one week and a few days. I questioned whether that was adequate. Gagisa said it was basic training. They were also taught some Russian language, mainly greetings," Moyo said.

His reported death comes amid growing concerns about the recruitment of African nationals into Russia's military campaign in Ukraine. Rights groups and observers have previously raised concerns that economically vulnerable individuals are being attracted by promises of employment, salaries and residency opportunities before being deployed to conflict zones.

Moyo suggested that delays in reporting the deaths of foreign recruits may be linked to the use of Russian names by some fighters and the lack of public disclosure surrounding casualties involving foreign nationals.

"The only people who can release names are those who survive attacks," he said.

He added that information from survivors indicated that one recruit from the Democratic Republic of Congo was seriously injured, while another Zimbabwean who had travelled using South African documentation reportedly survived and later returned to South Africa.

Mkhwananzi leaves behind a wife and two children.

"We are trying to see how we can help them," Moyo said.

Mkhwananzi became a nationally recognised figure in 2018 when he appeared before the Commission of Inquiry into the August 1 post-election violence, chaired by former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe.

During public hearings in Bulawayo, he pointed at a portrait of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and accused him of being responsible for making him an orphan through the Gukurahundi atrocities.

Shortly afterwards, Mkhwananzi was arrested and charged with undermining the authority of the President under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. Authorities also accused him of providing false testimony after he allegedly identified himself before the commission using a name different from that on his national identity documents.

He was granted bail and later alleged through his lawyer that he had been assaulted while in police custody.

As a child, Mkhwananzi reportedly lost both parents during the Gukurahundi massacres of the 1980s, a period of violence in Matabeleland and parts of the Midlands that remains one of Zimbabwe's most sensitive and unresolved historical issues.

His experiences shaped his political activism and involvement in the MRP, which advocates for self-determination for Matabeleland and parts of the Midlands and has frequently clashed with the government over issues related to Gukurahundi, regional marginalisation and historical justice.

MRP secretary-general Velile Dube described Mkhwananzi as a dedicated activist who spent much of his life seeking justice for victims of Gukurahundi.

"As a child, Mkhwananzi lost his parents through the Gukurahundi genocide and never found closure. He became active in the struggle for self-determination as a means to seek justice and peace," Dube said.

"Though the sad news is not yet fully confirmed through official channels, we have lost a friend, a comrade, a dedicated member of MRP and a family man. He was a jovial and disciplined man who discharged his duties with passion. He died trying to provide for his family."

Dube said the party was mourning alongside Mkhwananzi's family and supporters.

"We will miss our comrade, and we believe justice shall be served at the appointed time. We mourn with his family and with all Mthwakazi people. May his soul rest in peace," he said.