Chiwenga, Mohadi Clash Over Alleged $3m Payments to Boo Chiwenga at Conference
CHINHOYI — Zanu-PF Vice President Kembo Mohadi was taken ill and later hospitalised after a reported heated verbal confrontation with co-Vice President Constantino Chiwenga during a closed-door presidium briefing ahead of Day 4 of the party’s 23rd National People’s Conference on Friday.
According to an account circulating widely on social media and reported by several local outlets, the altercation occurred shortly before conference proceedings began at Chinhoyi University of Technology.
Chiwenga allegedly demanded that businessman and Central Committee member Kudakwashe Tagwirei be summoned to explain claims that he had distributed US$3 million — US$300,000 to each of the party’s 10 provinces — allegedly to mobilise supporters to disrupt Chiwenga and to push for constitutional changes at the conference.
Mohadi reportedly objected, telling Chiwenga to stop “directing the President on what to do.”
Chiwenga is said to have responded by ordering Mohadi to “shut up” and threatened that Day 4 proceedings would not continue unless Tagwirei appeared.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa eventually directed that Tagwirei be called in.
Sources claimed Tagwirei initially denied the payments but later acknowledged them, stating they were intended to assist fellow Central Committee members.
Chiwenga reminded him of the President’s directive that all donations should channel through party leadership.
Chiwenga further demanded that thematic committee meetings be deferred and that all resolutions first be submitted to him for review to ensure they reflected grassroots input rather than top-down influence, threatening further disruption if not agreed.
Mohadi fell ill minutes after the briefing.
Official communications confirmed he was airlifted to Harare for medical treatment.
Presidential spokesperson George Charamba said Mnangagwa was kept informed and later visited Mohadi in hospital on Saturday morning, describing his condition as “remarkably well.”
He later appeared at the conference having recovered but no cause of his sudden illness was disclosed.
The episode occurs against a backdrop of rising factional tensions within Zanu-PF over succession and proposed constitutional amendments that could affect leadership timelines.
The conference, running under the theme “From Resolutions to Results: Consolidating Economic Development and Deepening Empowerment Towards Vision 2030,” concludes this weekend.
Neither the Presidium nor Tagwirei has issued a formal public response to the specific allegations of the verbal exchange or the payments as of Saturday.
Party proceedings continued, with both vice presidents having addressed delegates earlier on themes of accountability and delivering results.