Exiled former Zanu-PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere has publicly defended his longtime ally and "brother," former Foreign Affairs Minister Walter Mzembi, following his recent arrest in Zimbabwe. Kasukuwere described Mzembi as an "honest Zimbabwean" who has been "trapped into a dungeon" and urged supporters to intensify efforts to secure his release.
"He is my brother and nothing will change that," Kasukuwere wrote on social media on Thursday. "He was trapped into a dungeon but one day, he will be out! Nothing hurts more than knowing that Walter Mzembi is an honest Zimbabwean. Let's double our efforts to get him out of this difficult position. God bless."
Mzembi, 61, was arrested in June after returning unexpectedly to Zimbabwe, ending nearly seven years in exile in South Africa. He is facing charges of theft of trust property and abuse of office. His bid for bail was dismissed last month, with the High Court ruling that he could not be trusted to stand trial given his previous decision to abscond while on bail in 2018.
The case has triggered fierce public debate, pitting exiled allies, journalists, and political figures against one another. Investigative journalist Hopewell Chin'ono accused former Norton legislator Temba Mliswa of attempting to "rewrite history" by denying involvement in efforts to lure Mzembi and other exiles back home. Chin'ono alleged Mliswa contacted him in Johannesburg, encouraging him to return, but said he had already been warned by activist Ali Naka and intelligence sources not to engage.
Chin'ono further claimed Mliswa worked with the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) to entice targeted individuals, allegations he sought to back with purported WhatsApp exchanges. "I wasn't going to Addis Ababa, Temba. I had already been warned of your alleged mission. So please do not try to rewrite history or distort facts," Chin'ono wrote on X.
Mliswa has strongly denied the accusations, dismissing them as "fabrications." He maintained that Mzembi returned to Zimbabwe of his own volition following a fallout with Kasukuwere in South Africa and later sought his assistance to re-engage with authorities. "All this talk about me selling him out is noonday hogwash. I'm no spy and never worked for CIO," Mliswa said. He added that he has consistently advocated for the safe return of exiled Zimbabweans as part of a broader reconciliation effort.
Mzembi, a former Masvingo South MP and cabinet minister, is accused of unlawfully disposing of 16 television screens worth US$800,000 purchased for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, as well as misappropriating funds and vehicles linked to the 2013 UN World Tourism Organisation General Assembly, which Zimbabwe co-hosted with Zambia.
After fleeing the country in 2018 while on bail, Mzembi spent years in South Africa, where he reportedly struggled with deteriorating health. His current detention has reignited debate about the treatment of exiled politicians and the risks they face when returning to Zimbabwe.
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