Mnangagwa loyalists 'targeting' diaspora activists propping Chamisa?

Reports have emerged of a clandestine campaign by President Emmerson Mnangagwa's loyalists to crack down on diaspora activists allegedly funding opposition leader Nelson Chamisa's efforts to form a new political movement. This movement, dubbed the "Blue Movement," is seen as a potential challenge to the 82-year-old Zanu PF leader, who is seeking an extended and controversial third term in office.

Chamisa, who has taken a temporary hiatus from active politics, remains a formidable figure in Zimbabwe's political landscape. Sources indicate that Mnangagwa views him as the most significant threat outside Zanu PF. This comes amid rising tensions within the ruling party itself, with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga reportedly leading a faction opposed to Mnangagwa's term extension and rumored to be exploring a loose alliance with Chamisa to oust the president.

According to sources within the Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC) diaspora network, a targeted operation is underway against activists accused of financially supporting Chamisa's comeback. Genius Khatazile Mamwadhu, a CCC diaspora member, disclosed that intelligence reports warn of serious threats, including violence, forced disappearances, and arson attacks on properties belonging to opposition supporters abroad.

"Some CCC members and human rights activists in the diaspora are facing escalating risks, with reports of their homes being visited by Zimbabwean state agents, including the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO)," Mamwadhu revealed. "Some have even received arrest warrants as part of this crackdown."

The operation reportedly intensified following discussions about extending Mnangagwa's presidential term to 2030 or beyond, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from activists and international observers.

Among those targeted are CCC members and activists based in countries such as the United Kingdom, United States, and South Africa, who have been vocal on social media against Mnangagwa's administration. Activists like Greatman Makipa, Clive Biggie Nyaketa, Nobukhosi Dube, and Evelyn Chigaro, among others, have been labeled fugitives by the Zimbabwean government but remain committed to advocating for democracy.

"It's appalling to target economic and political refugees," Mamwadhu said. "This underscores the deteriorating human rights situation in Zimbabwe, where activists are branded as threats to national security and subjected to harassment by weaponized state institutions."

Back in Zimbabwe, the crackdown on opposition figures continues. Former Mkoba MP Amos Chibaya and other locally-based activists face persecution under legislation such as the Patriotic Bill, the Cyber Security Act, and the Maintenance of Public Order Act (MOPA), which critics say are being used to stifle dissent.

The government's actions, activists argue, violate international commitments to uphold human rights and democratic principles. Observers warn that the intensifying repression could further isolate Zimbabwe on the global stage while deepening the country's political and social crises.

As tensions mount, both at home and abroad, Mnangagwa's administration appears determined to silence opposition voices ahead of what could be a pivotal chapter in Zimbabwe's political history.