Chiwenga’s Silence at Chivayo’s Funeral Signals War in Zanu PF
Story By Staff Reporter
The politics of Chivayo’s death and funeral mirrored the infighting over Zanu PF succession. Much of the party elite and its supporters rushed to pay homage to Mnangagwa’s “golden boy”. Those who benefitted from him, or admired him, showed deep sorrow. Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, the former military commander, was not moved.
Chiwenga became a rallying symbol for people revolted by Chivayo’s business methods and lifestyle. Yet he is also part of the Zanu PF elite. When news of the death broke, some people welcomed it. A few even celebrated while others mourned.
Why Critics Disliked Chivayo
Critics argue that Chivayo represented a culture of tenderpreneurship and ostentatious wealth. He often flaunted luxury cars, private jets and designer items on social media. Meanwhile, ordinary citizens faced failing public infrastructure, hospitals without basic supplies, unemployment and widespread poverty.
Some saw him as the face of tender corruption, procurement fraud and dubious state-linked contracts. He and his associates routinely denied any wrongdoing. Chivayo presented himself as a tycoon. Courts previously jailed him for foreign currency deals and fraud, and police arrested him several times over tender and corruption-related issues.
Generosity or “Reputation Laundering”?
Chivayo cultivated an image as a generous benefactor. He gifted luxury vehicles and cash to musicians, pastors, politicians and strangers. He made it clear that the gifts came from Zanu PF. Detractors viewed these actions as “reputation laundering” with public resources or unexplained wealth.
They saw a PR campaign to help Mnangagwa maintain the status quo, not philanthropy. Chivayo may have been generous himself, but the gifts came from the system. They were not charity.
Chiwenga’s Silence Speaks Loudly
To the politically astute, Chiwenga’s absolute silence was no mere scheduling conflict. It was a calculated roar of defiance. His cold shoulder exposed the fractured undercurrents of the Zanu PF succession battle. The rift between the President and his deputy is fundamentally a clash over power, wealth and Zimbabwe’s future leadership.
Chivayo acted as a financial and political broker for Mnangagwa. He funded lavish car and cash gifts for thought leaders, musicians, religious leaders, football clubs and influencers. Through these gifts, he tried to manufacture political consensus, public goodwill and legitimacy for Mnangagwa’s faction.
Chiwenga and his military backers see this ecosystem as an existential threat. They call it a textbook case of state capture, in which inflated tenders siphon public funds while the population suffers in squalor.
A Public Rejection of Mnangagwa’s Network
Chiwenga’s refusal to mourn Chivayo is therefore a bold public rejection of Mnangagwa’s political-business matrix. It mirrors intense clashes behind the scenes within Zanu PF and its structures. There, Chiwenga confronted Mnangagwa over extending the presidential term to 2030, a move that effectively blocks his path to the presidency.
Against this volatile backdrop, the extravagant burial has inadvertently fuelled the succession showdown. Mnangagwa has lost a critical financial broker and a key soft-power asset. Chiwenga’s absence from the state-sanctioned funeral suggests he has no intention of backing down. For him, it is war.
What Comes Next
By openly demanding good governance and shunning the corrupt elite, Chiwenga is positioning himself as a populist alternative within the ruling party. Critics say he is not clean either.
Mnangagwa’s official term ends in 2028, and the extension would carry it to 2030. The party’s annual conference is also next week. Zanu PF’s succession fight remains dangerously fluid. The battle between the military generals and the financial cartels no longer unfolds in the shadows. It now plays out even across the graves of the system’s billionaires, the new power brokers.
Reporting based on original coverage by NewsHawks.
