How the ED-Chiwenga War Is Drowning Out the Opposition
Story By Staff Reporter
Zimbabwe’s political spotlight has shifted. The loudest fight is no longer between the ruling party and the opposition. It is happening inside Zanu PF itself. As a result, many people now ask a hard question. Is the Mnangagwa-Chiwenga rivalry sidelining the opposition and, ironically, helping Zanu PF dominate?
The Real Contest Is Now Inside Zanu PF
President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga are locked in a fierce succession battle. The rift is now public. Mnangagwa warned the central committee against “the devil’s spirit” in the party. Meanwhile, Chiwenga has boycotted the President’s fundraising dinner, the late Wicknell Chivayo’s funeral and a minister’s swearing-in.
The tension was clear even earlier. A politburo meeting set for the afternoon of 9 October 2026 never took place. Members had already gathered at the party headquarters in Harare when it was cancelled. Officially, it was a clash of programmes.
Politically, however, the two leaders were reportedly at loggerheads over a different issue. They disagreed over plans to rewrite the party constitution so it matches the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Act, which was signed into law on 7 July 2026.
Every one of these moments makes headlines. Consequently, the news cycle belongs to Zanu PF. Opposition leaders struggle to get the same attention.
Men With Guns, Men With Money
Many commentators describe this as a simple fight between two men. That reading is too narrow. The deeper contest is about who controls the party, state appointments and public money after Mnangagwa leaves office.
On one side stand the men with guns. These are the military and security figures behind the November 2017 intervention. Chiwenga, then Defence Forces Commander, led that operation. It removed Robert Mugabe within days. Major-General Sibusiso Moyo became its public face on national television.
Mnangagwa had been dismissed as vice-president and had fled the country. Afterwards, he returned from exile and took over as president. Chiwenga moved from the barracks into the vice-presidency. The 2017 settlement was not a democratic handover. Rather, it showed that the men with guns could decide a national leadership crisis.
On the other side stand the men with money. These are politically connected businessmen with growing influence inside party and government structures. Kudakwashe Tagwirei is the clearest example. He was recently sworn in as Economic Development and Investment Promotion minister. Many now ask whether the military will keep its commanding position or give way to this new commercial class.
The Opposition Becomes a Spectator
Politics is partly about who controls the conversation. Right now, the ruling party sets the agenda, even when it is fighting itself. Ordinary Zimbabweans debate who will succeed Mnangagwa. They talk less about what the opposition offers.
Furthermore, the opposition has its own problems. Critics say its leaders spend too much energy on who is the “real” leader. They argue that unity has been missing for years. Plans once tied to 2028 have reportedly slipped to 2030, which feeds public fatigue.
Nelson Chamisa’s on-and-off role is a good example. His supporters remain loyal. However, critics say loyalty to a person is not the same as a clear plan for the country.
Constitutional Changes Raise the Stakes
The timing matters too. The conference opens in Chinhoyi under a cloud of contentious constitutional amendments. If these changes alter what future elections look like, the opposition’s main path to power narrows. In that case, a divided ruling party can still hold the system together.
Why Zanu PF Is Not Automatically Stronger
Still, dominance is not guaranteed. A bitter succession fight can weaken a ruling party. Rival camps may fight over resources, loyalty and security backing. In addition, public frustration with the economy does not disappear because of internal drama.
History also shows that Zanu PF has survived infighting before. Yet each fight costs it unity and credibility. An opposition that organises well could use that moment.
The Bottom Line
The rivalry is not making the opposition irrelevant on its own. Instead, it exposes how weak the opposition’s own strategy has been. If opposition groups stay divided, Zanu PF’s fight will keep dominating the story. If they unite around shared principles and a real plan, they can turn this rift into an opening.
In short, Zanu PF’s civil war gives the opposition a chance. Whether it takes that chance is the real question.
