Opinion / Columnist
If Chiwenga is genuine about fighting corruption, then we need action - not just words
4 hrs ago | Views
There's a saying: action speaks louder than words.
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga's recent bold remarks against corruption have stirred debate across Zimbabwe.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08
His scathing condemnation of those flaunting unexplained wealth - particularly individuals leveraging their proximity to power to secure multi-million-dollar government contracts without due process - has caught the attention of a weary nation.
At several high-profile events, including the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) congress and the launch of former senior civil servant Andries Rukobo's autobiography, Chiwenga did not mince his words.
He went as far as referring to these corrupt figures as zvigananda, a Shona term for blood-sucking parasites - evoking a vivid and painful image of what these individuals represent to the suffering masses.
In a political landscape where silence on elite corruption has been the norm, especially within the ruling ZANU PF party, Chiwenga's stance was understandably welcomed by many Zimbabweans.
For a nation ravaged by decades of economic plunder and mismanagement, where hospitals lack basic medication, roads are potholed and impassable, electricity blackouts last over 16 hours a day, and clean water is a luxury in many towns and cities, any high-ranking official speaking out against this rot offers a glimmer of hope.
These zvigananda - many of whom have built empires through illegal tender processes, shady acquisitions of state assets, and overpricing of government contracts - have long evaded accountability.
In fact, not only have they never been brought to justice, but some have been rewarded with powerful positions and national honours.
That is why Chiwenga's words resonate so strongly with the general populace.
They represent something rare: apparent outrage from the very top against the parasitic corruption destroying the country.
However, as much as these statements have been welcomed, they are not nearly enough.
Zimbabwe does not need more words.
We've heard it all before - slogans, promises, threats - but with no real change.
What this country desperately needs is action.
Tangible, bold, and effective action that yields measurable results.
Chiwenga is not new to anti-corruption rhetoric.
In fact, this script was first delivered in November 2017, during the military coup d'état that ousted Robert Mugabe from power.
Then serving as the Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Chiwenga was the face behind "Operation Restore Legacy," which claimed its mission was to remove "criminals around the president."
Zimbabweans remember all too well the now-iconic broadcast by the late Major General Sibusiso Busi Moyo on ZBC, assuring the nation that the army's actions were not a coup but a clean-up exercise.
That message sparked hope.
We believed that at long last, Zimbabwe's long-standing cancer of corruption was being surgically removed.
But instead of restoring any legacy or ridding the country of corruption, what followed was a handover of power to the then-sacked Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa - who had just fled to South Africa.
Rather than ushering in a new era of accountability, the new administration seemed to perfect the very rot it claimed to oppose.
Zimbabweans were betrayed.
Corruption not only persisted but became more entrenched, more blatant, and more protected than ever before.
Today, Zimbabwe ranks as the most corrupt country in southern Africa, with a dismal 2024 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index score of 21 out of 100.
That's a national disgrace - akin to scoring 21 percent in an exam and pretending to be competent.
The country loses a minimum of US$3 billion every year through illicit financial flows, mineral smuggling, inflated government contracts, and general abuse of state resources.
State assets are being stripped, handed over to cronies in the name of "privatization" or "strategic partnerships," with zero transparency or accountability.
Individuals close to power are awarded hundreds of millions of dollars from public coffers for projects that are never completed - or worse, never started.
Against this backdrop, when the same people who promised to "remove criminals" in 2017 begin speaking the same language in 2025, Zimbabweans are bound to raise an eyebrow.
We've been here before.
In 2017, it appeared that thieves simply removed Mugabe so they could continue looting without his interference.
And now, we are once again hearing promises of a reckoning, with vague threats against the zvigananda - but no names named, no arrests made, no recoveries of stolen assets.
So what has changed?
Why should Zimbabweans believe that this time will be different?
The burden of proof lies with Vice President Chiwenga himself.
If he is truly serious about fighting corruption, then he must prove it - not through fiery speeches, but through resolute, visible action.
He is the second most powerful man in the country.
If he sincerely believes that certain individuals have plundered the nation, then he must see to it that state institutions like the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), the police, and the judiciary are empowered, sanitized, and shielded from political interference so they can do their jobs without fear or favour.
He must publicly support investigations and prosecutions, regardless of political affiliation.
He must ensure that tenders and contracts are publicly disclosed and follow transparent procurement procedures.
If a whole Vice President can speak with such clarity about zvigananda, surely the institutions mandated to fight corruption should be able to identify and act against them.
Otherwise, these speeches will become yet another entry in Zimbabwe's long history of populist political theatre - a show designed to pacify a restless public while protecting the real culprits behind the curtain.
The people of Zimbabwe are tired of being used as props in this never-ending play.
We have heard about corruption being tackled before - yet we still endure blackouts, lack running water, and bury loved ones in underfunded hospitals.
Enough is enough.
Words are cheap. Promises are empty.
What Zimbabweans demand now is action - genuine, far-reaching, and fearless action.
Vice President Chiwenga, if you truly abhor corruption, then it's time to do something about it.
Speak less, act more.
The future of this country depends on it.
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga's recent bold remarks against corruption have stirred debate across Zimbabwe.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08
His scathing condemnation of those flaunting unexplained wealth - particularly individuals leveraging their proximity to power to secure multi-million-dollar government contracts without due process - has caught the attention of a weary nation.
At several high-profile events, including the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) congress and the launch of former senior civil servant Andries Rukobo's autobiography, Chiwenga did not mince his words.
He went as far as referring to these corrupt figures as zvigananda, a Shona term for blood-sucking parasites - evoking a vivid and painful image of what these individuals represent to the suffering masses.
In a political landscape where silence on elite corruption has been the norm, especially within the ruling ZANU PF party, Chiwenga's stance was understandably welcomed by many Zimbabweans.
For a nation ravaged by decades of economic plunder and mismanagement, where hospitals lack basic medication, roads are potholed and impassable, electricity blackouts last over 16 hours a day, and clean water is a luxury in many towns and cities, any high-ranking official speaking out against this rot offers a glimmer of hope.
These zvigananda - many of whom have built empires through illegal tender processes, shady acquisitions of state assets, and overpricing of government contracts - have long evaded accountability.
In fact, not only have they never been brought to justice, but some have been rewarded with powerful positions and national honours.
That is why Chiwenga's words resonate so strongly with the general populace.
They represent something rare: apparent outrage from the very top against the parasitic corruption destroying the country.
However, as much as these statements have been welcomed, they are not nearly enough.
Zimbabwe does not need more words.
We've heard it all before - slogans, promises, threats - but with no real change.
What this country desperately needs is action.
Tangible, bold, and effective action that yields measurable results.
Chiwenga is not new to anti-corruption rhetoric.
In fact, this script was first delivered in November 2017, during the military coup d'état that ousted Robert Mugabe from power.
Then serving as the Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Chiwenga was the face behind "Operation Restore Legacy," which claimed its mission was to remove "criminals around the president."
Zimbabweans remember all too well the now-iconic broadcast by the late Major General Sibusiso Busi Moyo on ZBC, assuring the nation that the army's actions were not a coup but a clean-up exercise.
That message sparked hope.
We believed that at long last, Zimbabwe's long-standing cancer of corruption was being surgically removed.
But instead of restoring any legacy or ridding the country of corruption, what followed was a handover of power to the then-sacked Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa - who had just fled to South Africa.
Rather than ushering in a new era of accountability, the new administration seemed to perfect the very rot it claimed to oppose.
Zimbabweans were betrayed.
Corruption not only persisted but became more entrenched, more blatant, and more protected than ever before.
Today, Zimbabwe ranks as the most corrupt country in southern Africa, with a dismal 2024 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index score of 21 out of 100.
That's a national disgrace - akin to scoring 21 percent in an exam and pretending to be competent.
The country loses a minimum of US$3 billion every year through illicit financial flows, mineral smuggling, inflated government contracts, and general abuse of state resources.
State assets are being stripped, handed over to cronies in the name of "privatization" or "strategic partnerships," with zero transparency or accountability.
Individuals close to power are awarded hundreds of millions of dollars from public coffers for projects that are never completed - or worse, never started.
Against this backdrop, when the same people who promised to "remove criminals" in 2017 begin speaking the same language in 2025, Zimbabweans are bound to raise an eyebrow.
We've been here before.
In 2017, it appeared that thieves simply removed Mugabe so they could continue looting without his interference.
And now, we are once again hearing promises of a reckoning, with vague threats against the zvigananda - but no names named, no arrests made, no recoveries of stolen assets.
So what has changed?
Why should Zimbabweans believe that this time will be different?
The burden of proof lies with Vice President Chiwenga himself.
If he is truly serious about fighting corruption, then he must prove it - not through fiery speeches, but through resolute, visible action.
He is the second most powerful man in the country.
If he sincerely believes that certain individuals have plundered the nation, then he must see to it that state institutions like the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), the police, and the judiciary are empowered, sanitized, and shielded from political interference so they can do their jobs without fear or favour.
He must publicly support investigations and prosecutions, regardless of political affiliation.
He must ensure that tenders and contracts are publicly disclosed and follow transparent procurement procedures.
If a whole Vice President can speak with such clarity about zvigananda, surely the institutions mandated to fight corruption should be able to identify and act against them.
Otherwise, these speeches will become yet another entry in Zimbabwe's long history of populist political theatre - a show designed to pacify a restless public while protecting the real culprits behind the curtain.
The people of Zimbabwe are tired of being used as props in this never-ending play.
We have heard about corruption being tackled before - yet we still endure blackouts, lack running water, and bury loved ones in underfunded hospitals.
Enough is enough.
Words are cheap. Promises are empty.
What Zimbabweans demand now is action - genuine, far-reaching, and fearless action.
Vice President Chiwenga, if you truly abhor corruption, then it's time to do something about it.
Speak less, act more.
The future of this country depends on it.
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
Source - Tendai Ruben Mbofana
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