By Staff Reporter
Former cabinet minister Walter Mzembi, once a key figure in the G40 faction, has formally applied to rejoin ZANU PF after being expelled following the 2017 ouster of Robert Mugabe, with party members debating whether to accept him back.
Mzembi, who served as tourism minister and later foreign affairs minister, was a key member of the G40 faction that was ousted during the 2017 military-assisted transition that removed Robert Mugabe from power.
His application was heard during an emergency Provincial Executive Council meeting at Masvingo Polytechnic. In his letter, Mzembi said he sincerely wishes to renew his membership and contribute positively to the party’s programmes.
However, his return is not without controversy. Some party members said they would welcome him back only as an ordinary member at cell level, without any leadership position. Others opposed his readmission, arguing that Mzembi had been critising the party on social media.
What did he say about Mangagwa and Zanu-PF while in exile?
Walter Mzembi sharply criticized President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration, accusing him of political persecution and dismissing his leadership moves.He claimed that Mnangagwa wanted to target him and alleged that he faced assassination attempts, stating in interviews from South Africa that he feared he would be “slaughtered like a sheep” if extradited back to Zimbabwe.
He publicly warned Mnangagwa to stop using state machinery, police, and newly signed extradition treaties to settle political scores and punish opponents with differing ideologies.He described Mnangagwa’s public declarations about retiring and not seeking a third term as mere “public relations stunts” rather than genuine commitments to democratic transition.
According to Mzembi, his hostile relations with Mnangagwa were birthed during the 2005 Tsholotsho Declaration- an intraparty scheme of factionalists who wanted the current Zimbabwe leader to be appointed deputy president ahead of Joice Mujuru in former president Mugabe’s government.
Return, Arrest, Acquittal
After spending seven years in self-imposed exile in South Africa following the 2017 ouster of Robert Mugabe, Mzembi returned to Zimbabwe. He was immediately arrested at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport based on outstanding warrants for failing to appear in court since 2018.
June 2025 – May 2026 (Incarceration & Bail Denials): Deemed a flight risk because he skipped bail in 2018 under the guise of seeking medical treatment, Mzembi was repeatedly denied bail by the courts. He spent roughly 11 months in remand prison.
May 4, 2026 (Temporary Bail): High Court Judge Benjamin Chikowero finally granted Mzembi a US$1,000 bail just days before the final verdict, as the judgment was already being prepared.
