Mnangagwa Keeps Chiwenga Busy With Provincial Tours, Away From Politics
By A Correspondent
Vice President Dr. Constantino Chiwenga has once again been dispatched to undertake a series of low-profile provincial assignments, a move analysts say reflects President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s strategy to keep his deputy occupied with ceremonial duties while consolidating political control at the centre.
Chiwenga spent three days in Matabeleland South Province, where he toured several infrastructure and agricultural projects, including the Gwanda Lithium Mine, Tuli Manyange Dam, and the Garanyemba Drought Mitigation Centre.
The visits, according to insiders, are part of an ongoing effort to keep the Vice President engaged in peripheral development programmes — far from the political heart of Harare.
Addressing villagers and officials at Garanyemba on Friday, Chiwenga focused on the theme of water development, pledging that the Government would prioritise improving water supplies in the drought-prone province.
“I started with Matabeleland South because that’s where we piloted the nutritional garden, now known as a Village Business Unit in the Makorokoro area in Mangwe,” he said.
“I also visited agricultural and mining projects in Beitbridge and Gwanda. What I have appreciated is that in Matabeleland South, there is good soil and weather, but what is lacking is water.”
He added, “That’s why we are here to see how best to address this challenge. We will prioritise making water available in this part of the country so that we can develop our agricultural potential to the fullest.”
Political commentators, however, believe Chiwenga’s assignments signal a deliberate political sidelining. “These are symbolic errands meant to keep him in the public eye but away from real decision-making,” said one analyst. “Mnangagwa is keeping his deputy busy in the provinces while he runs the show in Harare.”
During his tour, Chiwenga also announced plans to expedite construction of the Tuli Manyange Dam, which will irrigate 1,600 hectares of land and supply water to Gwanda Town and the nearby lithium mine.
“I’m pleased with what I have seen in Matabeleland South, and I understand what needs to be done in these Village Business Units, in the commercial and agricultural companies, as well as the mining companies, to develop our nation,” Chiwenga said.
“We now know what we must do as a Government to enhance Matabeleland South’s economy for the betterment of not only the province but the entire nation.”
Despite these optimistic remarks, insiders say Chiwenga’s once-commanding influence in government and the ruling party has been noticeably reduced, with Mnangagwa now controlling key ministries, appointments, and state programmes.
“Chiwenga has become more of a development ambassador than a political heavyweight,” said a ZANU PF source. “He’s being kept active — but carefully contained.”
At Garanyemba, the Vice President praised farmers for their resilience and urged them to turn the drought mitigation project into a model of productivity. Yet to many observers, the message was clear: while Mnangagwa steers the political narrative, Chiwenga has been relegated to the sidelines, confined to ribbon-cutting and inspection tours far from the capital’s power corridors.
