GEORGE CHARAMBA IS DROWNING IN ZANU PF’S POWER STRUGGLE
George Charamba is once again stuck between two masters. The veteran presidential spokesperson finds himself dancing on a tightrope as he tries to please President Emmerson Mnangagwa, his official boss, while also staying in the political good books of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga. It is a political dilemma that mirrors his previous predicament during the late Robert Mugabe’s rule, where he was accused of being loyal to both Mugabe and Mnangagwa before the 2017 coup.
History is repeating itself. Back then, Grace Mugabe publicly humiliated Charamba for trying to serve two centres of power. Now he is back in that same mess. Officially, Mnangagwa signs his salary and appoints him. But behind the scenes, Chiwenga is the real centre of gravity. The military faction that brought Mnangagwa to power remains loyal to Chiwenga. Charamba, a cunning political survivor, knows this well and continues to walk the dangerous line between them.
Charamba’s own words betray the internal chaos. In an unedited outburst online, he wrote that those who try to sow division between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga are chasing a dead-end story. He tried to laugh it off, throwing in emojis and a dramatic call to be left alone to finish his “dissertation.” But behind the humour is a nervous man watching a political storm brew around him.
At a recent ZANU PF conference, Charamba tried to paint a picture of unity between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga. He described how the President surprised delegates by turning to Chiwenga’s wife for help with a Ndebele word, rather than to other senior figures like Vice President Mohadi or Secretary General Jacob Mudenda. Charamba claimed this moment shocked the delegates and showed that Mnangagwa was comfortable enough to involve Chiwenga’s family publicly.
The second move was even more revealing. According to Charamba, Mnangagwa handed over the remainder of the day’s proceedings to Chiwenga, essentially letting him take charge. This act was presented as a gesture of trust, with Charamba claiming it destroyed the narrative that the conference was designed to sideline Chiwenga.
Charamba went further to highlight the supposed alignment between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga on key issues. He pointed out that their speeches were “coincident,” drawing from the same historical metaphors and focusing heavily on anti-corruption messaging. Both men, he claimed, were “unsparing” in their condemnation of corruption, with Mnangagwa going as far as urging the conference to speak loudly against it. They also reportedly rallied around Vision 2030 and the need to prepare for upcoming elections, promising development and adherence to party rules.
But all of this reads like desperate spin. Behind the rehearsed speeches and stage-managed interactions lies a party in deep crisis. The succession battle is real. Mnangagwa wants a third term despite the constitution. Chiwenga believes it is his turn. And in the middle is Charamba, trying to hold the crumbling script together with emotive language and clever diversions.
What he fails to admit is that Zimbabwe is not fooled. The people see through the fake unity. They see a regime built on fear, corruption, and betrayal of the liberation promise. They see the same men clinging to power while the country suffers.
George Charamba may still be writing his so-called dissertation, but history is writing a different chapter. One where even the loudest propaganda cannot hide the cracks. The palace is divided. The mask is slipping. And for those caught in between like Charamba, the fall will be just as loud as the lies they told to avoid it.
