Tinotenda Hove – President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday took a hardline stance against corrupt elements within Zimbabwe, popularly referred to as “zvigananda,” during his address at the ZANU PF National Consultative Assembly (NCA) meeting in Harare.

Speaking with rare candour, Mnangagwa declared: “Pasi nezvigananda!” — loosely translated as “Down with the corrupt!” His statement was met with rapturous applause, whistling, and ululations from delegates, signalling broad support for the President’s anti-corruption rhetoric.

The term “zvigananda” has increasingly come to symbolise shady elites and untouchable figures whose lavish wealth is widely suspected to stem from illicit deals and looting of state resources. The President’s remarks mark one of his strongest condemnations of corruption to date.

The fight against graft has also been championed by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who has on several occasions issued stern warnings to those involved in looting public funds.

“Zvigananda must know that their day of reckoning is coming,” Chiwenga previously said, underscoring government frustrations over entrenched corruption.