Key points
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A leaked recording exposes an alleged plot against Chiwenga.
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Mliswa denies the accusations and blames rivals.
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His Shurugwi home was torched amid rising tensions.
The battle over who will eventually succeed Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has grown sharper, with controversial politician Temba Mliswa at the center of the latest drama.
A leaked WhatsApp recording between Mliswa and businessman Agrippa “Bopela” Masiyakurima has gone viral, exposing an alleged campaign to discredit Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.
Mliswa is accused of fronting a plan funded by businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei to boost his chances in the succession race.
Both Mliswa and Masiyakurima confirmed the recording is authentic. What they disagree on is the motive.
A battle beyond personalities
Chiwenga has been pushing back against wealthy figures he says are using state and party resources to buy influence.
At a recent politburo meeting, he presented a dossier accusing businessmen of splashing cash and cars on Zanu PF structures while allegedly siphoning money from the state.
Mliswa, however, was heard in the recording trying to recruit Masiyakurima into supporting Tagwirei. Masiyakurima says he played along to expose what he called a “sponsored smear campaign” against the vice president. He accused Mliswa of selling out the revolution for cash and luxury vehicles.
This is not just about personalities—it is a reflection of how power struggles in Zanu PF are increasingly tied to money, patronage, and business interests.
Mliswa fights back
Mliswa admitted the recording was genuine but insisted he was being framed. He said Masiyakurima sought his business advice, and he only advised him to work with government rather than fight it. He rejected claims that he had received money or cars for political favors.
“Don’t believe your own lies,” Mliswa wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “This campaign to character-assassinate me because I raised corruption issues won’t work.”
But on the ground, the controversy appears to have escalated. Mliswa’s rural home in Shurugwi was reportedly torched by unknown assailants this week. The motive remains unclear, though Mliswa blamed those unhappy with his anti-corruption stance.
What this really tells us
As much as this may seem like another Zimbabwean political scandal, it speaks to deeper truths. Succession in Zanu PF is no longer just a question of loyalty or seniority—it’s about who can control networks of money, loyalty, and influence.
Chiwenga’s dossier suggests he is attempting to reframe the debate around corruption and patronage. But his rivals appear willing to fight back with smear campaigns and backroom deals.
For ordinary Zimbabweans, however, the question is simple: Will these battles ever translate into meaningful governance reforms, or are they just another chapter in the endless factional wars of the ruling party?
Because while politicians plot and trade accusations, citizens continue to wrestle with inflation, joblessness, and economic decline.
And that is the real scandal.
