President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesperson, George Charamba, has launched a sharp rebuttal against political activist and Mnangagwa loyalist Temba Mliswa, after the outspoken former legislator accused him of betraying the President in the wake of escalating internal ZANU-PF tensions over succession.
The latest political storm erupted after claims surfaced that Charamba was the ghostwriter behind Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s fiery address at the ZANU-PF Annual Conference held in Mutare last Friday. Chiwenga’s speech — described by observers as unusually confrontational — reportedly challenged the party’s official line presented earlier by Secretary for Legal Affairs Ziyambi Ziyambi. In his remarks, Chiwenga appeared to question aspects of the party’s “Vision 2030” economic agenda and took aim at alleged corruption within the leadership, fuelling speculation about widening rifts at the top of ZANU-PF.
Mliswa, a former Norton MP and longtime Mnangagwa ally known for his unfiltered social media commentary, reacted furiously to the reports. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), he accused Charamba of being a “habitual betrayer” who has repeatedly shifted loyalties depending on the political winds. Drawing parallels to the turbulent Mugabe succession years, Mliswa wrote:
“Mai Mugabe realised it and called him out in public before. While at that time his cause appeared noble, the underlying factor was still betrayal of a principal! His latest conduct, as a Presidential Spokesperson, when the President came under siege, has been very telling and speaks of a compromised character.”
Mliswa accused Charamba of siding with Chiwenga at a time when the President’s loyalists felt besieged by succession manoeuvres. He further criticised Charamba for allegedly failing to defend Mnangagwa with conviction while using social media pseudonyms to fight petty battles. “He hides behind aliases to pick fights instead of using intellect and logic to promote the President’s vision,” Mliswa charged.
Charamba wasted no time firing back. In a lengthy retort, he dismissed Mliswa’s comments as irrelevant and attention-seeking, describing the former legislator as “a failed opposition figure masquerading as a loyalist.” Writing under his well-known pseudonym Jamwanda, Charamba said he had no reason to take advice or criticism from someone “without political standing or credibility.”
Charamba Fires Back at Mliswa, Dismisses Criticism as “Attention-Seeking Antics
“I hardly have time for a failed opposition figure who seeks to play saviour to my principal or to ZANU PF, which he is yet to re-join,” Charamba wrote. “I will only take notice of his errant views when he becomes a member of ZANU PF, or an MP after winning a seat in a free and fair electoral contest. For now, he is a mere talkative nobody who has no lessons for me! You can advise him to go hang on a banana tree if he has any, or runs an orchard!”
The caustic exchange has drawn widespread attention across Zimbabwe’s political spectrum, with analysts saying it exposes the growing unease within the ruling party as the debate over Mnangagwa’s succession intensifies. While the President’s supporters insist he remains firmly in control, insiders say factional mistrust has deepened between those aligned with Mnangagwa and those seen as sympathetic to Chiwenga.
Dr. Takavafira Zhou, a political scientist, noted that such public spats reveal the delicate balancing act facing senior party figures like Charamba. “As the face of the Presidency, Charamba must defend his boss while navigating the undercurrents of factional politics,” Zhou explained. “But when loyalties become contested, even the messenger can easily become a target.”
Mliswa’s intervention, though couched as a defence of Mnangagwa, has also been interpreted as part of a broader effort by the President’s allies to curb Chiwenga’s growing influence. The Vice President, once hailed as Mnangagwa’s key ally during the 2017 transition that ousted Robert Mugabe, has in recent months appeared more assertive, prompting renewed speculation about his political ambitions.
Analysts believe that Chiwenga’s speech in Mutare may have been a calculated move to reassert his authority within the party and appeal to those frustrated with economic stagnation and internal corruption. “The tone of his address was not accidental,” said one senior ZANU-PF insider. “It was a message — both to the President and to the structures — that he remains a powerful player.”
The unfolding drama underscores how precarious ZANU-PF’s internal dynamics have become as discussions about the party’s post-Mnangagwa future quietly intensify. While Mnangagwa’s loyalists continue to project unity, incidents like the Charamba–Mliswa clash highlight the underlying power struggle shaping the party’s next chapter.
For now, Charamba remains firmly in Mnangagwa’s corner, publicly rebuffing any suggestion of divided loyalty. Yet, as the succession debate heats up and political tempers flare, it appears that even the President’s most trusted communicators are not immune to the crossfire of Zimbabwe’s ever-evolving power game.
In a party where loyalty is often tested and political alliances shift overnight, the war of words between Charamba and Mliswa is more than a personal feud — it is a symptom of the deeper tensions that could define ZANU-PF’s future in the run-up to 2028 and beyond.
Source- Bulawayo24
