By Gabriel Manyati
In a blistering riposte that has ignited fresh debate on Zimbabwe’s fractured political landscape, presidential spokesperson George Charamba, operating under his popular X handle Jamwanda, has categorically dismissed claims of being sidelined at a private presidential function and poured scorn on vocal Mnangagwa ally Temba Mliswa.
“With due respect, I was nowhere near Precabe on the day. I didn’t need to be. It wasn’t a State function; it was a private function to which my Principal is entitled,” Charamba declared on X. “By the way, there cannot be a clash between me and Temba. He doesn’t exist in my scheme of things. Or in Government, or the Party. He belongs to neither. He is incapable of wielding an opinion anyone sane enough finds exercising. He has no such competence!!!!”
The post, laced with laughter emojis, quickly garnered tens of thousands of views and sparked a wave of reactions.
The exchange stems from reports surrounding South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent private visit to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Precabe Farm in Kwekwe.
Claims circulated in leaked messages and online commentary that Charamba had been denied access to the gathering, which reportedly included influential business figures aligned with the president.
Charamba’s denial frames the event firmly as a personal matter, not an official state engagement. The latest flare-up builds on a longer-running public feud.
Mliswa, a former Zanu PF MP and outspoken political operator often linked to pro-Mnangagwa networks, has repeatedly targeted Charamba, accusing him of disloyalty and even calling for his dismissal. In one recent broadside, Mliswa interpreted Charamba’s sharing of an old Julius Malema video – warning against unelected capitalists – as a veiled attack on the president’s inner circle. A detailed post by analyst Chirenje Mzukuru WeTongwe captured the wider concerns: “The recent exchange between George Charamba & Temba Mliswa has once again exposed the rise of parallel power centres that operate outside formal party and state structures… That is why the rise of figures like Temba Mliswa, who is the apparent de facto spokesperson of the Precabe Politburo, is so destructive.”
The analysis drew parallels to the chaotic final years of Robert Mugabe’s rule, warning of eroding institutional authority. Zimbabwe’s political context makes such tensions particularly potent.
Since Mnangagwa assumed power in 2017 following the military-assisted removal of Mugabe, ZANU PF has grappled with factionalism, succession anxieties, and the influence of informal networks often dubbed “zvigananda” – wealthy business allies with privileged access.
Charamba, a veteran communicator who served under Mugabe and continues in the current administration, represents the formal state apparatus and protocol-driven governance. Mliswa, by contrast, operates as an independent voice with significant visibility but no current formal party or government position. In earlier salvos, Mliswa had dared Charamba to a physical confrontation and accused him of undermining the president.
Charamba’s latest response underscores a deliberate distancing: “I didn’t know he said anything about me until a couple of friends drew my attention to that. I told them not to mind him; that he never matters at all.”
The saga highlights deeper questions about protocol, access, and authority in Mnangagwa’s administration. Critics point to the normalisation of private business figures at high-level engagements, while defenders of the president argue such meetings strengthen alliances and economic ties, especially with South Africa.
Ramaphosa’s visit, though private, occurred amid regional and domestic pressures in Zimbabwe, including debates over constitutional term limits and economic challenges.
