Ignatius Chombo, former Local Government Minister and briefly Finance Minister under the tenure of former President Robert Mugabe, has officially reentered the ranks of ZANU PF after a five-year absence.
His departure from the party followed the military coup of November 2017.
In 2023, Chombo sought readmission, with the provincial leadership of Mashonaland West, spearheaded by Mary Mliswa-Chikoka, endorsing his return pending approval from President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
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At a recent ZANU PF provincial coordinating committee (PCC) meeting in Chinhoyi, Mliswa-Chikoka confirmed Chombo’s reinstatement, stating:
“We all recall the recommendation made by the PCC upon receipt of a letter from Cde I.C.M Chombo expressing his desire to rejoin the party. Congratulations Mash West, Cde Chombo has now officially returned, our recommendation has been approved.”
Sources suggest that Chombo’s return to ZANU PF may lead to complications for his estranged wife, Marian Chombo, who currently holds positions as the Provincial Affairs minister for Mashonaland West and the MP for Zvimba North.
A source remarked:This could be interpreted as setting the cat among the pigeons, squaring Ignatius up for a bruising political fight for the Zvimba North parliamentary seat against Marian because both would want the position for political expediency.
Having been a longstanding legislator for Zvimba North, Chombo aims to revitalize his political career, potentially thrusting him back into the national political arena.
Following his arrests post-2017 coup, Chombo faced multiple charges including corruption, fraud, and abuse of public office.
However, in August 2023, the National Prosecuting Authority withdrew two corruption charges against him, with three other cases similarly withdrawn earlier that year.
