Presidential Envoy and Ambassador-at-Large Uebert Angel has defended Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, warning against attacks on the former army commander. Angel's intervention comes amid escalating factional tensions within Zanu-PF and heightened political uncertainty following the death of businessman Wicknell Chivayo. Chivayo, a close ally of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, died in a helicopter crash near Marondera on September 30, along with his wife and three others.
Angel, associated with President Mnangagwa's political camp, previously found himself on the opposite side of the political tensions involving Chiwenga. His remarks have raised questions about shifting political dynamics surrounding Mnangagwa and his deputy. Chivayo's growing influence had become a source of friction between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga, who reportedly criticised Chivayo and other wealthy businessmen associated with the President.
In July, Angel sparked controversy after declaring during a church sermon that a person he described as the country's future successor was suffering from a hidden illness and was "walking, but dead inside". Although he did not explicitly name Chiwenga, the remarks were widely interpreted in the context of Zimbabwe's succession politics, with the Vice-President emerging as a central figure.
Addressing his congregation on Sunday, Angel condemned vitriolic attacks against Chiwenga, dismissing them as political impropriety and intellectual bankruptcy. He acknowledged that political leaders, including Mnangagwa and Chiwenga, were open to criticism but warned against contempt disguised as legitimate scrutiny.
Angel questioned why individuals who portray Chiwenga as dangerous would openly challenge him, and invoked Mnangagwa's authority, arguing that the President's decision to retain Chiwenga as his deputy should discourage public attacks against him. He criticised those joining public attacks against Chiwenga, specifically referencing his former wife, Marry Mubaiwa, following her recent interview making damaging allegations against the Vice-President.
Angel's remarks come amid renewed political tensions between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga, which recently spilled into public view during the Zanu-PF Annual National People's Conference in Chinhoyi. He rejected suggestions that his intervention was driven by factional considerations, insisting that he was not aligned with competing political camps.
Angel urged Zimbabweans to allow Chiwenga to discharge his responsibilities as Vice-President and support the country's leadership without participating in what he described as political drama. His intervention has sparked attention, particularly given his previous public pronouncements about Chiwenga's future.
Key points
- Uebert Angel defends Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga amid ZANU-PF succession war.
- Angel condemns vitriolic attacks against Chiwenga, dismissing them as political impropriety and intellectual bankruptcy.
- Chivayo's death adds uncertainty to Zimbabwe's volatile political environment.
