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What happened:Â On Independence Day, police arrested Major Albert Tizwa, a Military Intelligence officer in the Presidential Guard. He had an unregistered AK47 and bags of cash linked to businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei. He resisted arrest and faces 11 charges (assault and kidnapping).
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Intelligence suggested:Â Tizwa was on a mission to assassinate Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga and General Sanyatwe.
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Explosive claim: President Emmerson Mnangagwa personally ordered Tizwa’s release, the return of the unregistered AK47, and the return of all the seized money.
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Broader context: Mapuranga says this is part of an ongoing “state assassination programme” against VP Chiwenga, including earlier failed plots and framing attempts.
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Tone & call to action: The retired general says, “This is a president protecting his hitman.” He warns Chiwenga’s life is in immediate danger and urges SADC, the African Union, Zimbabwe’s military, and human rights groups to act.
In a strongly worded thread posted today, 20 April 2026, retired Lieutenant-General Winston Sigauke Mapuranga – a war veteran, ZANU-PF Politburo member, and former senior military officer – publicly accuses President Emmerson Mnangagwa of personally protecting a suspected state assassin.
What Mapuranga claims happened:
On Independence Day, Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) arrested Major Albert Tizwa, a serving Military Intelligence officer attached to the Presidential Guard. Tizwa was caught in Newlands with an unregistered AK47 rifle (which he had no right to carry) and bags of cash traced to the offices of businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei. He resisted arrest and was charged with 11 serious offences: 5 counts of assault and 6 counts of kidnapping.
According to credible intelligence, Tizwa was on a mission to assassinate Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga and General Sanyatwe.
The explosive allegation:
Mapuranga states that President Mnangagwa personally ordered:
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Tizwa’s immediate release,
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the return of the unregistered AK47,
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and the return of all the seized money.
He describes this as the President directly overruling the police who had done their duty – effectively handing a suspected hitman back his weapon and funding.
Broader context:
Mapuranga links this to an alleged ongoing “state assassination programme” against VP Chiwenga. He cites earlier failed attempts, including:
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An empty arms truck in Norton,
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the Inkomo Barracks weapons cache operation,
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and raids on Chiwenga’s wife’s residence and Mpofu’s farm.
He notes that the police briefly resisted political pressure but were eventually overruled.
Tone and call to action:
The retired general drops his usual measured tone and declares:
“This is not a grey area. This is a president protecting his hitman.”
He warns that Vice-President Chiwenga’s life is in immediate danger. He urges regional bodies (SADC and the African Union), the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, and human rights institutions to act. He ends with a public prayer for the safety of Chiwenga and Sanyatwe.
In short: A very senior ZANU-PF insider has gone public with detailed, explosive claims that the President of Zimbabwe is actively shielding a Presidential Guard officer accused of plotting to assassinate the Vice-President – and personally returned the man’s gun and money after his arrest.
- He operates within Zimbabwe’s military intelligence structures, specifically linked to the Presidential Guard (often abbreviated as “PG” or “MIO at PG”).
- His rank is variously described in reports as Captain or Major; he is a mid-level officer in a sensitive unit close to the presidency.
- He has been publicly identified in connection with operations involving political enforcement and alleged intimidation.
