Harare – A resolution passed by Zanu PF at its annual conference in Bulawayo last year, advocating for constitutional amendments to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s tenure until 2030, is now at the centre of a growing political storm.
The party’s chairperson, Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri, who also serves as defence minister, has warned that the “ED2030” agenda is being exploited by “a few individuals” to sow division within the ruling party and poses a significant threat to national security.
Muchinguri’s comments, made during a state-of-the-party gathering at Zanu PF headquarters in Harare on Thursday, come amid heightened tensions within Zanu PF, with some factions openly pushing for Mnangagwa to remain in power beyond the constitutionally mandated two-term limit, which ends in 2028.
“Allow me to put the 21st National People’s Conference resolution number one under [the] spotlight. Party leadership has observed, with dismay, the abuse of the resolution and the weaponisation of the ‘2030’ slogan,” Muchinguri stated, highlighting the growing concern within the party’s leadership.
She accused certain party activists of being targeted for disciplinary action in the provinces by those who have “weaponised” the “2030” slogan, further exacerbating divisions and undermining party unity.
She emphasised that the resolution was supported by everyone within the party and urged members to allow the party’s protocol to process it accordingly.
Muchinguri, who is widely regarded as an ally of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, also appeared to address recent attacks on Chiwenga by a faction within the party. These attacks included songs denigrating the vice president at the National Heroes Acre while praising Mnangagwa, a move that Muchinguri condemned as posing a “national security risk,” although she did not elaborate on the specific nature of the threat.
“It is shameful for any leader to always be seized with primitive and sometimes barbaric political bickering and chicanery which divides the party. Such behaviour is a bonus arsenal for our opposition forces,” she said, criticising the factionalism that has plagued Zanu PF in recent years.
“The consequence of such a smear campaign amongst ourselves is the propagation of artificial factionalism… Our president and entire presidium must be protected by shunning factionalism which is a mere figment of imagination by self-serving individuals. This then degenerates into a national security risk,” Muchinguri warned.
Claiming that opposition politics “is currently dead,” Muchinguri lamented that “divisive elements within have become our greatest undoing.” She also expressed concern that “Even some of our own affiliates, like the churches, are now being infiltrated by the enemy [within].”
Mnangagwa is currently serving his second and final term as president, but some of his staunch supporters, primarily those benefiting from patronage, have been advocating for constitutional amendments to remove term limits and allow him to remain in power beyond 2028. However, this plan faces significant legal and political hurdles, with reports suggesting that Chiwenga is opposed to it.
Mnangagwa has repeatedly stated that he will step down when his term ends in 2028, but scepticism remains, particularly given the ongoing push by his loyalists to extend his tenure.
While government officials have dismissed these concerns as routine drills, the timing of the military activity, amid the heightened tensions over the “ED2030” agenda, has amplified anxieties and brought back memories of the 2017 military coup that ousted former President Robert Mugabe.
Information permanent secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana attempted to quell the rising speculation by stating on social media that there was “nothing to be concerned about.” Presidential spokesperson George Charamba echoed this sentiment, urging citizens to “Support your Zimbabwe Defence Force, ZDF, as it goes through the routine of ensuring all its battle systems are in tip-top state!!!”
However, sources within the military suggest that the movement of military vehicles may have been a message from Chiwenga’s allies to Mnangagwa and his loyalists, warning them to “toe the line or face confrontation.”
Adding to the political uncertainty, viral videos have emerged of a local prophet predicting a violent coup in Zimbabwe, warning of significant bloodshed.
“The Lord has spoken, and I must pray for Zimbabwe. I saw another coup—one that will bring chaos and bloodshed. This will not be like before; this time, there will be much suffering, and many lives will be lost,” the prophet declared.
These prophecies, coupled with reports of a collapsed succession deal between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga, have further fuelled concerns over a potential military intervention.
Mnangagwa subsequently addressed selected journalists, disavowing the Chiwenga critics and pledging to step down in 2028. However, the underlying tensions within Zanu PF and the military remain palpable, leaving Zimbabweans on edge as the country heads towards the 2028 elections.
One military source said that contrary to the official line that the movement of the military vehicles was long planned, Chiwenga’s military allies were in fact sending a message to Mnangagwa and his loyalists – toe the line or face confrontation.
Mnangagwa is a wily old fox who learned lessons from Mugabe’s 2017 ouster and is unlikely to be easily pushed without a fight, but even he would have been alarmed by the commentary accompanying viral videos of the army’s movement on Harare’s streets.
“Maybe the country is about to get freedom,” a male voice said in one video, watching a tank roll past from the window of what appeared to be a multi-story building.
