HARARE – Incarcerated former Zimbabwean Foreign Affairs Minister Walter Mzembi is reported to be in a critical condition at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare, where he is receiving treatment for a serious heart condition.
According to investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, medical professionals at the facility told him that Mzembi is suffering from an enlarged heart and swollen feet, and he reportedly collapsed in prison last week prior to his hospitalisation.
“Doctors, concerned about the lack of drugs and equipment at Parirenyatwa, have informed me that Zimbabwe’s former Foreign Minister, Dr Walter Mzembi, is currently hospitalised there.
“He is seriously ill with an enlarged heart and swollen feet, and he also collapsed in prison last week according to a prison official,” Chin’ono said.
Mzembi, 61, was arrested on 14 June 2025 upon his return from Zambia, ending nearly seven years in exile during which he lived in South Africa, Eswatini, and Zambia.
His arrest is linked to longstanding charges of criminal abuse of office and theft of trust property dating back to his tenure as Tourism Minister, particularly concerning the alleged misuse of public assets intended for the 2010 FIFA World Cup fan parks.
Following his arrest, Mzembi was remanded in custody after the confirmation of three outstanding warrants of arrest.
A Harare magistrate revoked his bail and ruled that his absence from court since 2018 was deliberate, despite claims by his legal team that he had been receiving medical treatment abroad, including for cancer.
His hospitalisation comes amid concerns over the deteriorating state of Zimbabwe’s public healthcare system. The prison living conditions are also dire.
Medical personnel at Parirenyatwa have raised alarm over shortages of essential drugs and equipment, which they say are affecting patient care.
Mzembi is Robert Mugabe’s final Foreign Minister before the late president was ousted in the 2017 military coup that brought President Emmerson Mnangagwa to power.
Following the coup, Mzembi fled the country along with several other senior officials aligned with the G40 faction, who opposed Mnangagwa’s rise to power.
The former minister was remanded to return to court for a trial date, but his current medical condition may complicate the legal proceedings.
Many people argue that his legal troubles are a form of retribution by Mnangagwa, stemming from their political disagreements during the Mugabe era. They also contend that Mzembi made a strategic error by returning to Zimbabwe.
