The simmering succession battle within Zanu PF has erupted into violence, with the petrol bombing of Zanu PF Harare provincial chairperson, Cde Goodwills Masimirembwa’s offices early Sunday morning.
The attack, carried out by unknown assailants, left the security guard severely injured with burns to nearly 80% of his body. He is currently receiving treatment at Parirenyatwa Hospital.
The incident occurred at the offices housing the Zimbabwe Institute of Legal Studies on Fife Avenue, near the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission offices. According to Cde Masimirembwa, he was informed of the attack at around 4am by one of his administrators.
“What happened is, I was phoned by our administrator of this college, which I own and told that around 4 am this place was petrol bombed,” he recounted.
“The people who came here, about eight bouncers in two Fortuner vehicles and a Honda Fit. They were carrying petrol with them in a container. They attacked our guard, made him lie down and beat him up, poured petrol on him and burnt him. As it is, he is struggling for his life at Parirenyatwa Hospital. He has over 80 percent burns.
“They threw a petrol bomb and they ran away. That is basically what happened. Clearly, these people did not come to rob or steal anything. It is something else. It was one office mainly where the petrol bomb landed. I think their hope was the place would then catch fire, but fortunately that did not happen.”
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident and stated that investigations are underway.
“We are conducting investigations over the matter and we will issue a statement in due course,” he said.
A team of police experts was deployed to the scene to gather evidence.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear, but it comes amidst a heated debate surrounding President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s potential third term. Cde Masimirembwa has been a vocal proponent of amending the constitution to allow President Mnangagwa to remain in power beyond 2028, a proposal popularly known as “ED 2030”. This ambition stems from the slogan “2030 VaMnangagwa vanenge vachipo”.
This isn’t the first time Cde Masimirembwa has faced scrutiny. Last month, false reports circulated on social media alleging his arrest by police and the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC). These reports were swiftly dismissed by both the police and ZACC, with Commissioner Nyathi stating, “He (Cde Masimirembwa) was not arrested and we don’t have such a report.”
Cde Masimirembwa himself attributed these reports to detractors aiming to damage his reputation.
However, the timing of the petrol bombing, coupled with his outspoken support for President Mnangagwa’s extended rule, strongly suggests a link between the two events. The push for constitutional amendments to allow President Mnangagwa to exceed the two-term limit has caused significant division within Zanu PF.
In August, Harare province, under Masimirembwa’s leadership, formally resolved to pursue such amendments. Masimirembwa himself publicly advocated for altering the constitution, stating, “The most pressing issue is that the Constitution of Zimbabwe needs to be amended to allow him to remain in power beyond 2028. We are aware of the constitutional restrictions; it currently states that the President can serve a maximum of two terms, each lasting five years. There is a possibility of either extending the duration of each term, increasing the term limit from two terms to three or removing the term limit entirely.”
He even suggested that the clause preventing amendments from benefiting the incumbent could be repealed. “However, this too could be changed to ensure that the current President, Mnangagwa, benefits from any amendment that extends the term length or removes the term limits altogether,” he added.
This push for a third term for President Mnangagwa has created significant friction within Zanu PF, particularly with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who is considered a potential successor. While Vice President Chiwenga hasn’t publicly declared his ambitions, the intense manoeuvring within the party suggests a power struggle is underway. Sources within Zanu PF indicate that provinces are under pressure to endorse President Mnangagwa’s continued rule until 2030, a move designed to pre-empt any challenge from Vice President Chiwenga.
“We are very aware that all provinces in its resolutions are going to endorse President Emmerson Mnangagwa to stay in power until 2030. This will kick-start the process of the tempering of the national constitution through Parliament then the rest will follow,” a source revealed.
However, the military, a powerful force in Zimbabwean politics, appears firmly opposed to any extension of President Mnangagwa’s presidency.
A military insider, speaking anonymously, confirmed this stance: “The army’s stance is unequivocal. The President is required to complete his constitutional second term and retire in 2028. From a military perspective, he should not have even been eligible for a second term. Although he publicly agrees to retire in 2028, he is privately signaling his supporters to push for a constitutional amendment to extend his term until 2030. This proposal is unpopular among the security forces and the general public, with only a few self-interested individuals supporting it.”
