“Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU PF party, under President Emmerson Mnangagwa, is increasingly relying on coordinated social media campaigns to silence dissent, with a particular focus on women activists and opposition voices. These online operatives, widely known as "Varakashi4ED" (meaning “destroyers for Emmerson Dambudzo (ED) Mnangagwa“ in Shona), use anonymous and fake accounts primarily on the platform X (formerly Twitter) to mock, delegitimize, and threaten those who challenge the government,” reported Bulawayo 24.
“Allegations have surfaced implicating senior government figures, including President Mnangagwa's spokesperson George Charamba, in managing or supporting these toxic ghost accounts. Activists warn that these campaigns are not isolated incidents but part of a systematic strategy funded with taxpayers' money to suppress political opposition and stifle freedom of expression.”
If the truth be said - and it must be said now more than even or we will all be silenced - this comes as no surprise.
Mnangagwa is a ruthless thug who has stopped at nothing to get what he wants - absolute power. After 45 years at the pinnacle of political power and all the influence and wealth that power with no accountability brings he has become addicted to it and hungers to stay on. His arrogance and ruthlessness have increased over the years to match his increased power. He is determination to stay on at all costs.
The 2023 Aljazeera Gold Mafia documentary revealed how 80% of Zimbabwe’s US$2 billion per year gold mining was being smuggled and President Mnangagwa was named as the godfather at the heart of it all. The wholesale looting is taking place in other areas too such as diamond, lithium, platinum and other minerals. Government contracts such as the supply of 2023 ZEC election materials to Wicknell Chivhayo have become another conduit for looting. He gets a cut in all these activities!
Mnangagwa is filthy rich and he has channeled some of the looted wealth to pay for the military style operations whose primary purpose is to make sure he retains an iron grip on political power at all costs.
Mnangagwa must have spend US$5 billion, at least, to secure the presidency in the 2023 elections. He bought chicken and chips for the hired povo bused from one rally to the next, bought cars for chief and church leaders, MPs, judges and ministers received US$ 40k, 400k and 500k “housing loans” respectively.
As soon as he secured the 2023 presidency, work started on making sure he stayed beyond the 2028, beyond the maximum two term stipulated in the constitution. Many Zanu PF leaders objected to this but by the time the party held its conference in December 2024, they had all been whipped into line. The conference passed a resolution that Mnangagwa must stay in office till 2030.
In January 2025, Blessed Geza and a few fellow war veterans resurrected the objection to Mnangagwa staying in power beyond 2028. The next six months saw Mnangagwa implement one initiative after another to improve the lives of war veterans and buy their support. Many of the war veterans received one or more of the following gifts bicycle, car, new house equipped with solar power and borehole water, financial assistance from a presidential revolving fund, etc., etc.
“Have the war veterans who were given houses received the title deeds to the house and the land?” I asked one Zanu PF crony.
“Saviour Kasukuwere, Jonathan Moyo and many others had title deeds to their large mansions and farms; they left them in a huff!” she answered.
“Forget about the Social Media Varakashi4ED, they are harmless. Mnangagwa has battalions of Varakashi4ED, spies and killers, everywhere.
“Mnangagwa is not clever, he is a buffoon, and he who knows that and this makes he fearful and suspicious of every one. When he is not sure of anything he instinctively reaches for the gun - brute force, his strength.
In Mnangagwa’s Zimbabwe, everyone is a potential threat to his singular goal to stay in power and, when the time comes, to pass the baton to his chosen successor. Fear rules the land!” She concluded with dread and hopelessness.
There are Varakashi4ED everywhere! Destroyers4ED! How have we come to this?
