Harare – Zanu PF has officially endorsed President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s leadership beyond 2028, effectively sidelining Vice President Constantino Chiwenga from succeeding him.
Information Minister and Zanu PF Central Committee member Jenfan Muswere, made the announcement putting to rest speculations that Chiwenga would become the Zanu PF Presidential candidate in 2028.
Muswere revealed that the decision was ratified at the Zanu PF Annual People’s Conference held in October in Bulawayo. “The delegates to the Zanu PF 21st National People’s Conference resolve as follows: the President and First Secretary of Zanu PF Party, His Excellency, Cde. Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa’s term of office as President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and First Secretary of Zanu PF be extended beyond 2028 to 2030,” reads the resolution.
The resolution also directed the party and government to amend the national constitution to give effect to this extension.
The move seemingly ends years of speculation over Chiwenga’s potential succession, a debate that has persisted since the 2017 coup that ousted Robert Mugabe and brought Mnangagwa to power.
Initially seen as Mnangagwa’s key ally, Chiwenga’s influence has appeared to wane amid growing internal factionalism and Mnangagwa’s consolidation of power.
Muswere’s remarks underscore the binding nature of the resolutions passed at the conference, which he described as “unanimously adopted” with no opposition from the delegates.
He dismissed dissenting voices outside party structures as “noise makers” with no relevance to Zanu PF’s internal processes.
Muswere explained that extending Mnangagwa’s leadership is critical to ensuring the successful implementation of Vision 2030—the government’s ambitious development agenda aimed at transforming Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income economy by the end of the decade.
Stability and consistency in leadership, he argued, are essential for achieving these long-term goals.
Addressing questions from party members, including newly elected war veterans’ association member Gilbert Zowa, Muswere reiterated that the ED2030 slogan and the push for Mnangagwa’s continued leadership were in line with Zanu PF’s constitution.
He noted that the resolutions were legally binding, as the conference met all procedural and quorum requirements.
Zowa had sought clarification on the ED2030 slogan, pointing out that Mnangagwa himself had previously expressed disinterest in extending his term beyond 2028.
However, Muswere emphasized that the party’s collective decision takes precedence. “The President’s personal statements notwithstanding, our guiding principle is the Zanu PF constitution and the resolutions adopted at the Annual People’s Conference,” he said.
The endorsement of Mnangagwa’s extended leadership signals a tightening grip on power by the incumbent, further marginalizing Chiwenga and his allies.
The power struggle between the two has been a defining feature of Zanu PF’s internal politics since 2017, with Chiwenga’s faction increasingly on the back foot. By securing unanimous support for the extension, Mnangagwa has not only fortified his position but also reaffirmed his dominance over the party’s succession narrative.
Muswere’s statements also highlight the party’s efforts to present a unified front amid growing calls for clarity on the leadership issue.
The resolutions passed in Bulawayo, chaired by Zanu PF national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, underscore the party’s determination to maintain Mnangagwa’s leadership for the foreseeable future.
-State Media