Shadowy group claims mercenaries hired to kill Chiwenga

A shadowy group supporting Zimbabwe's Vice President, the General Chiwenga Voluntary Supporters Association (GCVSA), has made sensational claims that mercenaries have been hired to eliminate the former army commander.

The allegations emerge amid escalating factionalism within ZANU-PF, with power struggles between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Vice President Constantino Chiwenga increasingly playing out in public.

ZANU-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa, a known Mnangagwa ally, recently described Chiwenga as cruel, unintelligent, and unelectable in a leaked recorded call. Despite Chiwenga demanding action against Mutsvangwa, no disciplinary steps have been taken.

In a statement shared with NewZimbabwe.com, GCVSA claimed they were aware of a plot targeting not only Chiwenga but also those planning to partake in a scheduled demonstration on March 31 against cronyism in the government.

"We pre-empt and categorically expose the treasonous move to deploy mercenaries imported from Sierra Leone, assigned with the heinous mission of eliminating General Chiwenga," said Ntokozo Msipha, the organization's secretary-general.

"This foreign interference in our national affairs is an act of war! We warn those involved that your names are known, your movements tracked, and your betrayal of Zimbabwe will be met with full consequences."

Chiwenga is believed to be opposing Mnangagwa's attempts to stay in power beyond 2028. Supporters of Mnangagwa, particularly from his home province of Masvingo, have been pushing for his rule to extend to 2030.

War veterans, led by outspoken activist Blessed Geza, have vowed to lead a demonstration on March 31, protesting what they describe as rampant cronyism under Mnangagwa's leadership.

Msipha reiterated GCVSA's support for the planned demonstration, describing it as a defining moment for the nation.

"We stand firm in full support of the people's call to action on March 31, 2025. This is not a day of recklessness, but a day of decisive movement by Zimbabweans who refuse to be ruled by fear, deceit, and treachery. The time for tyranny is over, the hour for accountability is now!"

Msipha also claimed that the government was planning to use state security agencies to intimidate protesters through a Home Affairs Ministry press conference expected soon.

"The enemy is shaken. We are fully aware of the Home Affairs Ministry's planned press conference, an attempt to intimidate the people with hollow threats, lawfare, and brute force. Let it be clear: the people will not be intimidated by recycled rhetoric or empty posturing. No force on earth can stop a determined people!"

The GCVSA leader further urged police and military officers to remain loyal to the nation rather than individual political figures.

"To the police and military personnel, remember your oath is to Zimbabwe—not to a rogue regime. Any orders to harm unarmed civilians on March 31 are unlawful and will not be forgotten.

"The regime's days are numbered, and those who think they can rule through poisoning, mercenaries, and violence will soon face the people's judgment!"

Political tensions in Zimbabwe have been steadily rising, with factional disputes within ZANU-PF becoming more pronounced. Earlier this week, a press conference by war veteran Ethan Mathibela to announce the March 31 protest was disrupted by unidentified men in Bulawayo.

While the government has not officially responded to GCVSA's claims, observers note that the growing rift within the ruling party signals potential turbulence ahead of the 2028 elections.