Zim Breaking News : Taming the Lion? The Unthinkable Consequences of Firing VP Chiwenga
Any attempt to remove Vice President Constantino Chiwenga outside constitutional processes would likely trigger military intervention, a parliamentary stalemate, and a deepening fracture within ZANU-PF, according to political analysts.
With Chiwenga’s historical role as former defence forces commander and his central part in the 2017 political transition, an extra-legal dismissal would almost certainly be resisted institutionally, leading to a prolonged governance crisis and raising fundamental questions about the durability of Zimbabwe’s 2013 Constitution.
While the Constitution provides a clear process for the removal of a Vice President requiring a two-thirds parliamentary majority following an investigation into misconduct or incapacity under Section 96 the question of what happens if those procedures are ignored or short-circuited remains a deeply sensitive subject within the country’s governance framework.
General (Retired) Chiwenga is not a conventional political figure. After a decades-long career in the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, culminating as Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, he transitioned into the executive branch as First Vice President. His role in the political transition of November 2017 widely referred to as “Operation Restore Legacy” is a matter of public record. During that period, the military intervened to facilitate the resignation of the late President Robert Mugabe, an event that reshaped the country’s political landscape.
Since entering civilian office, Chiwenga has remained closely associated with the national security establishment. He continues to hold significant influence among active and retired uniformed personnel, as well as within the war veterans’ community.
Analysts who study regional governance caution that an extra-legal removal of the Vice President would likely produce several outcomes:
The Future for Zimbabwe
Looking forward, most analysts agree that the likelihood of an extra-constitutional removal remains low precisely because the risks are so high. A stable political environment benefits all stakeholders, and the existing constitutional framework while not immune to pressure provides a pathway for resolving leadership disputes without resorting to institutional breakdown.
