ED Fires Chiwenga-Aligned Masvingo Executives – Eduzim News

By Political Reporter-Zanu PF has dismissed two prominent Masvingo provincial executives, Roy Bhila, the Chiredzi North MP, and Benjamin Ganyiwa, the Gutu East MP.

The move is viewed as part of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ongoing purge of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s allies.

The dismissals underscore the escalating factional battles within Zanu PF, with Masvingo Province emerging as a critical stronghold for Chiwenga.

Both Bhila and Ganyiwa have long been associated with the Vice President’s camp, a factor that appears to have triggered their removal.

Benjamin Ganyiwa was accused of treachery and sowing divisions within the party.

A letter from the Zanu PF Masvingo Provincial Disciplinary Committee detailed charges of hosting a secret meeting under the pretense of a groundbreaking ceremony and failing to reprimand anti-Mnangagwa sentiments expressed in a WhatsApp group he managed.

The charges were framed under Article 37, Section 549 of the Zanu PF Constitution, which targets disloyalty and behavior that undermines party unity.

However, sources claim the accusations are politically motivated, aimed at silencing Ganyiwa’s support for Chiwenga in Masvingo, a region where grassroots backing for the Vice President runs deep.

Similarly, Roy Bhila faced a prohibition order for his open dissent against Mnangagwa’s ED2030 Agenda and his criticisms of corruption within party ranks.

Bhila publicly condemned land grabs by Mnangagwa-aligned officials during a Chiredzi council meeting, a move that marked his defiance against the dominant faction.

Despite his loyalty to Zanu PF, evidenced by record-breaking vote counts in both the 2018 and 2023 elections, Bhila’s suspension has been viewed as a strategic move to weaken Chiwenga’s influence in Masvingo.

His vocal support for constitutional principles and resistance to Mnangagwa’s authority made him an easy target in the factional purge.

Masvingo Province has become a focal point in the Mnangagwa-Chiwenga power struggle.

The region’s strong support for Chiwenga has made it a battleground where pro-Mnangagwa officials like Provincial Minister Ezra Chadzamira have sought to consolidate power.

Chadzamira, a staunch backer of Mnangagwa’s ED2030 Agenda, has been implicated in controversial land seizures, fueling discontent within the province.

Bhila’s opposition to these practices has made him a polarizing figure and a rallying point for Chiwenga’s supporters.

The dismissals of Ganyiwa and Bhila highlight the broader factional rift between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga, a conflict that has simmered since the 2017 military coup that ousted Robert Mugabe.

While the two initially presented a united front, underlying power struggles have since escalated, with both camps employing political maneuvers to undermine each other.

Mnangagwa has systematically sidelined Chiwenga’s allies, particularly in provincial structures like Masvingo, to tighten his grip on the party.

Chiwenga, a former military commander instrumental in Mnangagwa’s rise to power, retains significant support within the armed forces and rural strongholds, making him a formidable rival.

The factional battles have exposed deep cracks in Zanu PF’s unity.

Masvingo, a historically loyal province, has become a microcosm of the national power struggle, with Chiwenga’s influence clashing with Mnangagwa’s attempts to centralize authority.

Observers warn that Mnangagwa’s purge of dissenters like Ganyiwa and Bhila risks alienating key constituencies and emboldening Chiwenga’s camp.

As the party heads toward its next elective congress, the rift between the two factions threatens to destabilize Zanu PF’s already fragile facade of unity.

Ganyiwa and Bhila’s dismissals are more than isolated disciplinary actions—they reflect a calculated strategy by Mnangagwa to weaken Chiwenga’s base.

However, the political fallout from these moves could backfire, amplifying internal divisions and setting the stage for an intensified power struggle.

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