Mnangagwa fires Mines Minister Winston Chitando as factional battles heat up

HARARE – President Emmerson Mnangagwa has fired Winston Chitando from his position as Minister of Mines and Mining Development and replaced him with his deputy, Polite Kambamura.

This is now the second time Chitando has been fired from the same post having been axed in September 2023 before returning to the portfolio in April last year.

The changes made on Monday were announced in a statement by Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Martin Rushwaya;

“His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, has in terms of Section 340, Subsection (1f), as read with Section 108, Subsection (1a) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, removed Winston Chitando as Cabinet Minister with immediate effect.”

“In terms of Section 104, Subsection 1 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has appointed Polite Kambamura as Minister of Mines and Mining Development,” Rushwaya wrote.

Journalist and political commentator Hopewell Chin’ono said the “dramatic move reflects the escalating turmoil within Mnangagwa’s administration, where corruption scandals, failing projects, and growing factional battles have become impossible to conceal.

He added that “Chitando’s removal is not surprising to many Zimbabweans, who have long viewed his tenure as synonymous with opaque deals, chaotic licensing, and the collapse of public trust in the mining sector, particularly lithium and gold.”