The two named generals, all very high-ranking officers in the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), are said to have made the remarks to US ambassador, Charles Ray at a private meeting in January 2010.
In cables Ray dispatched back to America, Chiwengwa is reported to have been a political commissar before independence in 1980 and had only attended one mid level training course, which he did not finish.
“If given a choice between a military and a political issue, he routinely defaults to the political,” the cable reads.
“His goal is to be in politics, and he will be very disappointed if he failed to achieve that goal.”
Chiwengwa’s political ambitions are reported to have caused ructions within Zanu PF and he was reportedly chastised by party leader, President Robert Mugabe, for being too “political”.
Mugabe gave the army commander a rap on the knuckles in 2009, five months before the two generals met Ray.
Chiwengwa is often touted as a likely successor for Mugabe and is sometimes referred to as “Zim 2”, inferring that he was next after the veteran leader.
Ray acknowledges that the two generals took great risk to speak with him and their identities should be kept secret as they could be charged with treason.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Chingono, an artillery officer, was the last ZNA officer to train under the America’s International Military Education and Training (IMET) programme, graduating from NDU in 1999, while Satuku received training in England.
Both said they wished for relations between the US and Zimbabwe to improve as morale in the military was low.
