HARARE – A significant rift within Zanu-PF has emerged, with a powerful bloc openly declaring its allegiance to Vice President Constantino Chiwenga and rejecting calls for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to extend his tenure beyond 2028.
The declaration, issued by the self-styled “General Chiwenga Voluntary Supporters Association,” represents a formidable challenge to Mnangagwa’s apparent ambitions.
The association, comprising ZAPU war veterans, Zanu-PF women’s associations, and youth associations primarily from Matabeleland, issued a strongly worded statement condemning recent pronouncements advocating for Mnangagwa’s continued leadership until 2030. These pronouncements, most notably from Zanu-PF deputy secretary for youth, John Paradza, at a Dadaya meeting, have ignited a fierce backlash.
“The General Chiwenga Voluntary Supporters Association, representing the unified voices of ZIPRA military veterans, Women Associations, and Youth Associations from Bulawayo, Matabeleland North, and Matabeleland South, condemns in the strongest terms the reckless and divisive statements made by Paradza and his faction during their ill-conceived gathering in Dadaya,” declared Ntokozo Msipha, the association’s secretary general.
Msipha’s statement directly challenges the legitimacy of Paradza’s claims, asserting: “Their arrogant declaration that Mnangagwa will remain in power until 2030 is not only a blatant affront to the democratic processes within our nation, but also a direct attack on the legitimacy and standing of Chiwenga, known to us as Umkhwenyana.”
The statement unequivocally positions Chiwenga as the preferred successor, stating: “Let it be clearly understood—General Chiwenga is the leader the people of Zimbabwe are rallying behind, and we will not sit idly by as rogue elements like Paradza attempt to tarnish his name and derail the course of justice and progress.”
The association accuses Paradza and his supporters of employing undemocratic tactics to maintain power, describing their rhetoric as “an act of cowardice.” Msipha’s statement further emphasizes the group’s unwavering commitment to Chiwenga’s ascension.
“The General Chiwenga Voluntary Supporters Association stands resolute in our commitment to seeing Chiwenga assume his rightful leadership of our nation,” said the statement.
The push for Mnangagwa to remain in power beyond his constitutionally mandated two terms has been particularly vocal in Masvingo province. Prominent figures including Masvingo provincial chairperson Robson Mavhenyengwa, provincial secretary for commissariat Brian Munyoro, Minister of State for Masvingo Ezra Chadzamira, Paradza, Politburo members Lovemore Matuke and Paul Mangwana have openly championed this cause.
Minister Chadzamira’s earlier statement exemplifies this sentiment: “We know that constitutionally the President is not supposed to continue in office after 2028, but we are saying if it is possible, if there is an opportunity to do so, we will humbly request that he remains in office up to 2030.”
Msipha’s statement directly addresses these constitutional limitations and reiterates the association’s unwavering support for Chiwenga: “General Chiwenga is not up for debate; it is rooted in his unmatched leadership, his military prowess, and his unwavering commitment to the people of Zimbabwe.”
The statement concludes with a defiant tone, asserting: “We will not be intimidated. The open confrontation declared by Paradza’s faction against General Chiwenga and his supporters is a declaration of war against the true will of the people. The people of Bulawayo, Matabeleland North, and Matabeleland South are not easily swayed by the empty words of opportunists. We see through Paradza’s agenda, which is rooted in division and self-interest, and we will oppose it with all the force at our disposal.”
President Mnangagwa, despite the increasingly overt efforts to secure a third term, has yet to publicly comment on these developments. The escalating tension within Zanu-PF highlights a significant power struggle with potentially far-reaching consequences for Zimbabwean politics.
