On February 3, President Emerson Mnangagwa fired his outspoken political ally Chris Mutsvangwa as Minister of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs in as yet unclear circumstances.
Mutsvangwa, who is not a novice to political controversy was once fired by former President Robert Mugabe for his over zealousness and alleged disloyalty which had reportedly caused unending problems within the ruling party ZANU PF.
Although it is not clear why Mnangagwa fired his long time ally from the ministerial post, sources say Mutsvangwa fell out with the President after poking holes in Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Jenfan Muswere’s firing of the previous ZBC board before appointing a new one.
Muswere, who is one of Munangagwa’s trusted ministers changed the ZBC and Zimpapers Boards over allegations of under performance, and instead stuffing them with his preferred candidates.
Whispers in the corridors of power suggest that Muswere’s moves didn’t go down well with the vociferous Mutsvangwa who is alleged to have wanted to protect the previous boards claiming that they played a pivotal role in facilitating a victory for ZANU PF in the 2023 August elections.
“Unfortunately along the way they have been some aspersions cast upon the performance of some of the former board members. We want to say as a party those boards and their chairpersons performed very well during their term of office. They are the ones who superintended the information and publicity drive of the party during the elections which we won,” said Mutsvangwa in one of the press briefings.
Other insiders say Mutsvangwa was fired due to shoddy with the Chinese whilst other claim that he was fired over his bad relationship with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga. Mutsvangwa allegedly harbours ambitions to take over from Chiwenga and was reported to have been making moves in the Midlands Province to lay the ground for his plan.
According to the former Minister of Tourism Walter Mzembi, who is in self imposed exile in South Africa, Mutsvangwa’s behaviour might have also contributed to his dismissal.
The exiled Mzembi alleged that during his time in cabinet, they often had problems with Mutsvangwa, who “was ungovernable and no one could tell him what to do.”
“lt’s simply that Chris is ungovernable and does not submit to the authority of anyone let alone the collectivity of Cabinet and and the President. He is an all knowing man of many words who does not know when to mute himself.
“On several occasions inside Cabinet in 2016, he would take on Mugabe to an embarrassing point where @edmnangagwa himself the Vice President, would be the only one able to silence him with the strongest rebuke,” wrote Mzembi on his X handle.
