By Political Reporter — Vice President Constantino Chiwenga openly resisted President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s “Vision 2030” slogan at the Zanu-PF annual conference in Bulawayo last week.

Supported by powerful military allies, Chiwenga pressured Mnangagwa to publicly commit to stepping down after his current term, marking a significant concession that reflects deepening factional divides within Zanu PF.

While Mnangagwa’s supporters were pushing for constitutional amendments to extend his tenure, Chiwenga’s faction, including influential figures like Zimbabwe National Army commander Lieutenant-General Anselem Sanyatwe, hampered these efforts.

The resistance underscored Chiwenga’s strength, likened by insiders to the 2017 military intervention that unseated Robert Mugabe.

According to political analysts, Mnangagwa’s “strategic retreat” reveals a growing power struggle, with Chiwenga poised to succeed him by 2028.

Sources report that Mnangagwa’s reliance on the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) has alienated the army, which traditionally plays a decisive role in ensuring Zanu PF’s grip on power.

Chiwenga’s allies, emboldened by Mnangagwa’s concession, view his withdrawal as final, while Mnangagwa’s loyalists cling to the 2030 vision as a symbol for future campaigns.

With tensions simmering, Zimbabwe’s leadership remains on a knife-edge as the military’s dominance in Zanu-PF continues to shape the nation’s future.