Former Foreign Affairs Minister Walter Mzembi, once regarded as one of the most influential figures of the Mugabe era, is reportedly facing financial ruin after his wife allegedly sold off properties valued at more than US$2 million and vanished, leaving him with almost nothing to his name.
A fortune gone while in exile
According to reports from Masvingo, the 64-year-old politician’s troubles deepened after he left the country alongside other remnants of the Generation Forty (G40) faction following the November 2017 removal of the late former President Robert Mugabe. It is alleged that during his absence, his wife, Barbra Hernandez, disposed of assets the couple had held and then disappeared.
Sources close to the matter claim Mzembi now relies on the generosity of his nephew, Amiel Matindike, for accommodation in Harare. Matindike, whose mother is an aunt to the Mzembis and whose family is also linked to the prominent Zvobgo family, is said to have supported the former minister’s welfare during his time behind bars.
Mzembi dismisses talk of total loss
Confronted with the allegations, Mzembi did not deny the reports outright. Instead, he answered with characteristic humour, suggesting the figure being circulated might be an understatement.
“Two million dollars, really?” he is quoted as saying, before insisting that even if the assets were taken, the loss could not touch his intellect or his capacity to rebuild. He described the claims as mere gossip but stopped short of confirming or denying whether a sale had taken place, at one point asking whether anyone was complaining that his estranged wife had simply sold what belonged to her.
The former minister maintained that he still owns a stock of assets and has not lodged any formal complaint with the authorities.
Legal questions over co-owned property
A legal expert who spoke on the matter said it would be unlawful under Zimbabwean law for one spouse to dispose of jointly owned property without the other’s consent. The lawyer explained that a co-owner must sign the agreement of sale, or provide a power of attorney instructing another party to act on their behalf and specifying how their share of the proceeds should be handled.
The observation raises questions about whether the properties were registered in a single name or whether other means were used to complete the transfers.
Purple suit and public appearances
Recent photographs of Mzembi at public gatherings have fuelled speculation about his circumstances. Observers have noted that he has appeared repeatedly in the same purple suit, whether at the Chevron Hotel, during court proceedings in which he was ultimately acquitted, or at the funeral of Sekuru Tinos Jesmiel Rushwaya, father of Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Martin Rushwaya.
A political comeback in the making?
Mzembi returned to Zimbabwe in June 2025 amid indications that he wanted to rejoin Zanu PF, but was arrested soon after on charges of criminal abuse of office over the donation of public viewing television screens to churches. He spent close to a year in custody before being cleared on 13 May 2026.
Sources say he has since renewed his bid for readmission, with his application recently tabled before a provincial executive council. He is also reportedly hoping to reconnect with President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is said to have promised him a vehicle and a farm, and is expected to visit Pricabe Farm in the near future.
From by-election winner to G40 casualty
Mzembi entered Parliament in 2004 after winning the Masvingo South by-election triggered by the death of Eddison Zvobgo. He retained the seat in 2005, 2008 and 2013, chaired the portfolio committee on Agriculture, Lands and Resettlement, and led Zimbabwe’s delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly in Europe between 2004 and 2007.
His rise culminated in his appointment as Foreign Affairs Minister, a post he held until the political upheaval of 2017 reshaped his career and, according to the latest reports, his personal finances as well.
