Jonathan Moyo lured with a brand-new car of his choice to return home, as Walter Mzembi languishes in prison

HARARE – In the high-stakes theatre of Zimbabwean politics, the script for 2026 is being rewritten with a flourish of luxury and the cold clang of prison gates. While one former cabinet minister is being lured back from exile with the promise of a brand-new car of his choice, another languishes in a remand cell, a stark reminder of the differing fates awaiting those who fell from grace during the 2017 military intervention.

The contrast could not be more vivid. On one side of the divide is Professor Jonathan Moyo, the erstwhile information minister and G40 strategist, who has spent nearly nine years in self-imposed exile. On the other is Walter Mzembi, the former foreign affairs minister, who chose to return home only to find himself trading his diplomatic passport for a prison uniform.

The catalyst for this latest political drama is Wicknell Chivayo, a controversial businessman and staunch ally of President Emmerson Mnangagwa. In a public overture that has set tongues wagging across the capital, Chivayo extended a “grand homecoming” offer to Professor Moyo, describing him as an “experienced strategist” whose intellectual capacity remains “second to none.”

“Should you decide to return, I would PERSONALLY come and pick you from the airport in my 2026 Rolls-Royce and chauffeur you home, safely then the next morning you make your way to see Victor and you collect a brand new car of your choice.”

Chivayo’s offer was not merely a gesture of personal friendship but was explicitly linked to Moyo’s recent public support for controversial constitutional amendments. These proposed changes, approved by the Cabinet on 10 February 2026, seek to extend presidential terms from five to seven years and scrap the direct election of the president—a move critics have dubbed a “constitutional coup.”

Moyo, writing from his base in Kenya where he fled during the November 2017 coup that toppled Robert Mugabe, has been providing historical and legal justifications for such a shift. He pointed out that between 1980 and 1990, Zimbabwe’s head of state was not directly elected, drawing comparisons with the indirect election system used in Angola.

“You have consistently demonstrated beyond doubt over the years that you are an EXPERIENCED STRATEGIST whose contributions to political matters is WELL INFORMED. You have been one of the architects of some of the most developmental policies that continue to empower our people to this very day! Perhaps it is time to COME BACK HOME, because home is BEST. Our Revolutionary mass party, ZANU PF, embraces the principle of being a friend to all and an ENEMY TO NONE.”

However, the reality for Walter Mzembi tells a much darker story. While Moyo is being offered a Rolls-Royce escort, Mzembi has spent more than 220 days behind bars. Arrested in June 2025 upon his voluntary return from exile in South Africa and Zambia, the former tourism minister has become the face of the government’s crackdown on the “old guard.”

Mzembi’s trial finally commenced at the High Court in late January 2026, after years of delays and health struggles, including a battle with cancer. He stands accused of criminal abuse of office, specifically regarding the “unlawful” donation of four LED television sets, valued at US$200,000, to various churches during his time as foreign affairs minister.

Prosecutors allege the televisions were meant for government use but were instead gifted to the United Family International Church, the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministry, and the Zion Christian Church without Treasury approval. Mzembi denies the charges, maintaining the donations were part of legitimate diplomatic outreach.

The emotional toll on Mzembi has been visible. Having spent months in remand prison after his bail was revoked in mid-2025 due to “flight risk” fears, he now faces the prospect of years in prison if convicted. His supporters argue that he is a victim of a selective “post-coup vendetta,” noting that while he faces trial for donating televisions, others accused of far greater corruption remain untouched.

The warning for Moyo is clear, and it has come from none other than outspoken former opposition legislator Fadzayi Mahere. Responding to Chivayo’s olive branch, Mahere cautioned the Professor that he would “regret it” if he set foot back in Zimbabwe under the current administration.

Mahere reminded Moyo of his own past warnings about President Mnangagwa’s long memory. She resurfaced a tweet once posted by Moyo himself, in which he alleged that the head of state “does not forgive” political adversaries and holds longstanding grudges.

“Mnangagwa does not forget, neither does he forgive,” the sentiment goes, echoed by those who have watched the systematic dismantling of the G40 faction.

The political climate in Harare is currently fraught with tension. The government’s push for “Amendment No. 3” has met with fierce resistance from opposition figures like Job Sikhala and Jacob Ngarivhume. Sikhala, who is himself facing ongoing legal challenges and was recently in court in South Africa, has petitioned the African Union to intervene against what he calls a “constitutional coup.”

Even as the government announces a “2026 General Amnesty” to decongest the nation’s overcrowded prisons, it is unlikely to provide relief for high-profile political figures like Mzembi. The amnesty typically excludes those convicted of “serious crimes,” a category often used to keep political opponents sidelined.

The timing of the offer to Moyo is seen by many analysts as a calculated move to broaden the base of support for the term extension plan. By bringing a “learned mind” like Moyo back into the fold, the administration hopes to add a veneer of intellectual legitimacy to a process that many see as a blatant power grab.

Chivayo’s role as the “benefactor-in-chief” has also come under scrutiny. In recent months, he has gifted a staggering number of luxury vehicles to various individuals, including a Toyota Fortuner and US$50,000 to veteran broadcaster Aaron Chiundura Moyo, and several Land Cruisers to ZITF officials. These gifts are widely perceived as rewards for loyalty to the “New Dispensation.”

“Home is best,” Chivayo urged Moyo, echoing a sentiment that usually resonates with any exile. But for those watching Walter Mzembi’s health fail behind the grey walls of a prison cell, the definition of “best” is under serious debate.

As the trial of Mzembi continues, with state witnesses giving conflicting accounts of the “TV donations,” the nation is left to wonder which path Jonathan Moyo will choose. Will he take the Rolls-Royce and the brand-new car, or will he heed the warnings of those who say the price of returning is far higher than any luxury vehicle?

In Zimbabwe, the line between a hero’s welcome and a prisoner’s dock is often as thin as a ballot paper, and as the 2030 agenda gathers pace, the stakes have never been higher. The story of these two ministers is more than just a tale of individual fortunes; it is a reflection of a nation still grappling with the ghosts of its past and the uncertain promises of its future.

For now, Professor Moyo remains in the relative safety of the diaspora, while Walter Mzembi waits for Monday’s court session, a man caught in the slow grind of a justice system that many fear is being used as a political tool. The brand-new car remains parked in a showroom, and the prison gates remain locked—two symbols of a country at a crossroads.

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