Mliswa Calls for the Axing of Chiwenga, Charamba and Others from Mnangagwa’s Government
By The Village Political Commentator
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| IN TROUBLE: George Charamba the Presidential Spokesperson accused by Mnangagwa's motor mouth blue eyed boy Temba Mliswa for failing to defend the President from General Chiwenga's corruption accusations |
Former Independent legislator now Sabhuku (Village Head) and outspoken ZANU PF critic Temba Mliswa has called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to purge his government and party structures of what he describes as “moles, putschist fence-sitters and sellouts” — in an explosive social media statement that takes aim at Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Presidential Spokesperson George Charamba, and other senior officials.
In a lengthy thread titled “Sabhuku’s Eye: Moles, Putschist Fence-Sitters and ED’s Need to Go Bold,” Mliswa accused elements within Mnangagwa’s inner circle of plotting against the President and undermining party unity.
“It has been clear to all and sundry that there were ongoing efforts to usurp ED, especially after the passing of Resolution Number 1 in Bulawayo,” Mliswa wrote. “Only those advancing the putschist agenda and the stoically stupid would try to argue that the Presidium has been in unison. It has not.”
Mliswa’s Call for a Purge
Mliswa urged Mnangagwa to act decisively, saying the President should “get his own people into government and chuck sellouts out.”
He accused Vice President Chiwenga of harbouring ambitions to “grab the top post” and alleged that some state officials and media figures had been “arming wild desperadoes” to destabilise the administration.
“VP Chiwenga has failed to nurture patience so as to wait for his turn with humbleness and obedience as ED did after 2004,” Mliswa charged, referencing Mnangagwa’s long wait to rise through the party ranks.
The former Norton MP said Charamba and other “long-serving insiders” had emerged “tainted” from what he described as a growing web of intrigue, leaks, and power struggles within the ruling elite.
“Some who have been long in the system, like George Charamba, have emerged from this scandal with very tainted names,” he wrote, further calling for the resignation of the Vice President’s wife from the military, describing her as a “politically exposed person.”
Leaks, Moles and Treasonous Efforts
Mliswa claimed that intelligence leaks, including from ZANU PF’s Central Committee and Politburo, were evidence of deep divisions and infiltration at the highest levels of government.
He alleged that there were individuals “sitting on the fence waiting to jump to the safest side” while leaking sensitive information to undermine the President’s authority.
“Multiple leaks revealed moles inside the system,” Mliswa said, citing even personal breaches such as the leaking of his own passport and boarding pass.
He argued that President Mnangagwa now faces a critical moment to “clean up his system” and remove all who had shown disloyalty, warning that failure to do so could “nurture people who were working against him.”
A Contrast in Leadership Styles
In a reflective tone, Mliswa contrasted Mnangagwa’s long political patience during the Mugabe era with what he described as Chiwenga’s “hasty and reckless” behaviour.
“It’s one thing to be celebrated by social media, mainly opposition people in the diaspora, and another to build a support base within the party,” Mliswa wrote. “His machinations should have centred on building from the inside, not grandstanding to those outside.”
He argued that the ruling party was now at a crossroads — needing a generational shift while maintaining internal discipline and unity around Mnangagwa’s leadership.
“Liberation heroes have had their time,” he said. “There’s nothing shocking about seeing a new breed of leaders such as Kuda Tagwirei emerging. Four decades after independence, the persuasion to change the guard is reasonable.”
A Political Tightrope for Mnangagwa
Political analysts say Mliswa’s statements reflect growing unease within ZANU PF’s ranks, as factionalism and succession tensions resurface ahead of the 2028 elections.
While Mnangagwa has maintained public composure, his administration has been dogged by speculation of a widening rift between him and his deputy — a rivalry that echoes the bitter Mujuru-Mnangagwa power struggle of 2014.
Mliswa’s intervention, though couched as advice, amounts to a public demand for Mnangagwa to act against senior members of his own government, risking further internal divisions if not handled delicately.
“As for the President, many have shown their colours and inability to do the principled thing, and should simply be made to walk,” Mliswa concluded. “Unlike Yeats’ upended scenario of passionate evildoers, here we carry the same conviction to remedy the wrongs.”
Whether President Mnangagwa heeds Mliswa’s advice or opts for a quieter political balancing act remains to be seen — but the outspoken MP’s latest salvo has once again laid bare the undercurrents of distrust shaping ZANU PF’s inner politics.
