By Political Reporter – Tensions within Zanu PF are reaching a boiling point as a group of retired senior army officers and war veterans in Masvingo have openly opposed the proposed extension of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rule.
These individuals, aligned with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, played a crucial role in Mnangagwa’s rise to power but are now condemning efforts by overzealous Zanu PF supporters and Mnangagwa loyalists to extend the President’s term beyond the constitutionally mandated two-term limit.
They describe these moves as “crazy.”
This opposition indicates that Chiwenga is gaining significant momentum ahead of the Zanu PF elective congress set for October.
According to a gentleman’s agreement made by the Junta that orchestrated the 2017 coup to oust Robert Mugabe and install Mnangagwa, Chiwenga was supposed to be the chosen successor.
However, Mnangagwa has recently been mobilising against this agreement, seeking to solidify his grip on power and close the door on Chiwenga’s succession.
The party is now preparing for its 21st Annual People’s Conference, scheduled to take place at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Grounds in Bulawayo from October 22 to 27.
During this conference, proposed amendments could be adopted and presented to Parliament, where Zanu PF holds a significant majority and enjoys the support of the opposition CCC faction led by Sengezo Tshabangu.
As the conference approaches, Zanu PF’s Harare Province held its provincial inter-district conference on Sunday, where it expressed its intention to push for Mnangagwa’s continued leadership.
In a recent report by TellZim, war veteran Western Ezrah from Masvingo criticised those who were “misleading the President” by urging him to violate the Constitution.
He stated, “In 2013, the people of Zimbabwe, whom we liberated through the war of liberation, wrote a constitution. The same people whom we freed are the ones calling for the breaking of the same Constitution they wrote. Calling for a third term is madness; the Constitution is clear, and the President should abide by it. Those pushing him to continue are truly mad.”
Ezrah emphasised that Zanu PF has clear guidelines, and those advocating for a third term for Mnangagwa lack a true understanding of the party’s origins and long-term vision. “People do not know where Zanu PF is coming from, and if you look closely, you will see that those calling for the extension of the term limit have no background in the liberation and the party itself.
The party has a hierarchy that has been respected since the war of liberation, and if you look at the presidium, it’s clear who is supposed to take over.
Even culturally, the elders lead first in their order, and we are a cultured people,” he added.
Retired Major General Gibson Mashingaidze echoed these sentiments, telling TellZim News that President Mnangagwa should adhere to the Constitution and avoid seeking a third term, as he had previously promised. “I am a constitutionalist, just like the President. I have survived many processes within Zanu PF because I am a constitutionalist. So, as a constitutionalist, I believe the President should follow the Constitution as he promised. We all heard him say he would step down when his second term ends,” Mashingaidze stated.
Another war veteran, who chose to remain anonymous, reiterated that the Constitution is clear on presidential term limits.
He emphasised that as war veterans, they are committed to the peaceful transfer of power and upholding the Constitution, adding that those pushing for a third term for Mnangagwa are motivated by self-interest rather than the country’s greater good.
The push for a third presidential term originated earlier this year from Zanu PF’s Masvingo Province, with other provinces subsequently adopting the stance, arguing that Mnangagwa should remain in power to achieve the party’s 2030 vision.
However, the growing resistance from key factions within the party indicates that the battle for succession is far from over, setting the stage for a potentially explosive Zanu PF elective congress in October.