Mnangagwa's retirement announcement genuine or facade?

The recent announcement by President Emmerson Mnangagwa that he will step down at the end of his second term in 2028 has been received with mixed feelings with ordinary citizens questioning the genuineness of the claim, amid reports that the Zanu-PF leader, of late, had been hyping the party's new slogan '2030 vaMnangagwa vanenge vachipo vachitonga' (2030 Mnangagwa will still be there in power).

The slogan '2030 vaMnangagwa vanenge vachipo vachitonga' was first introduced by Masvingo province during the national Youths Day held at Mushagashe Vocational Training Centre in February this year, and since then it was adopted at every Zanu-PF function, and at one function in Chivhu, Mnangagwa demanded all the ministers at the event to chant the slogan.

The sudden change by Mnangagwa, who seemingly enjoyed the '2030 slogan', to then publicly announced that he will abide by the constitution and step down after his second term comes to an end in 2028 might be evidence of the alleged succession factional fights within the ruling party.

Various political analysts who spoke to TellZim doubted Mnangagwa's genuineness saying the announcement was because of the ongoing fights in the ruling party.

Professor Eldred Masunungure said the statement was meant to douse factionalism within the party as it had come at a time when the 'ED 2030 campaign' was still in full swing.

"I would not take the President's pronouncement seriously at a time when his core supporters are publicly and unashamedly agitating for a third term or alternatively, an extension of the current term. The "ED2030" campaign is still in full swing. As such, the declaration about retiring in 2028 and a replacement chosen at Congress, sounds rather hollow and ingenious," said Prof Masunungure.

"I think it's meant to douse the fires of factionalism that threaten to rip the party asunder if not properly and quickly managed. Thus, the President's retirement announcement has little do with him being a constitutionalist because whether he goes for a third term or an extension of the second term, he would still have to go through some constitutional stages to amend the supreme law," he added.

Another analyst Dr Wellington Gadzikwa said the statement by Mnangagwa was not because he had become a constitutionalist but simply because he had realised that people could not allow him and Zanu-PF to continue.

Dr Gadzikwa said by calling for the extension of his term, they were testing waters and they have discovered that people were not ready for that.

"His announcement that he will step down was not because he is a constitutionalist because we have seen a number of instances when the constitution was disregarded. We have seen the capture of the constitutional bodies.

"He realised that people would not allow him to extend his term and those who had been calling for the extension of the term in the party will have to eat a humble pie and accept the reality that he cannot go beyond 2028," said Dr Gadzikwa.

However, another political commentator Professor Charles-PFukwa said Mnangagwa was genuine and his statement resonates well with the constitution of Zimbabwe.

"There is nothing amiss about what he said because that's what the constitution says. That is a political and timely statement which has come at a right time when people were pushing for him to extend his tenure," said Prof-PFukwa.

"What was being said by party supporters were just political statements. Anything can happen between now and 2028 and if the parliament wishes to amend the constitution in his favor then so be it. There are procedures that has to be followed and they know what has to be done," Proff-PFukwa added.

Great Zimbabwe University Media Lecturer Dr Gift Gwindingwe echoed the same sentiments saying Mnangagwa had said this out of his own accord hence there was no need to doubt him.

"The President is not under pressure from any corner so what he said becomes believable. I have been following debates on social media spaces with people saying he is not genuine but what makes people say he is not genuine when he is saying it himself especially against what his supporters are saying. It becomes easier to believe what the President is saying than to believe what the supporters are saying," said Dr Gwindingwe.

Masvingo province, however, remain adamant that the call for Mnangagwa's term extension which they started before other provinces joined will materialize.

Zanu-PF Masvingo Provincial Chairperson Robson Mavhenyengwa said the President had announced his wish but the province will map the way forward at an inter-district meeting scheduled for Saturday July 13 at Masvingo Polytechnic.

"We are going to have an inter-district meeting at Masvingo Poly on Saturday and where we are going to have the National Political Commissar Cde Munyaradzi Machacha. That is where we are going to discuss more and you can come and hear for yourself," said Mavhenyengwa.

Commenting on the resolutions being made by Zanu-PF supporters in various provinces that Mnangagwa should have a third term, legal expert Prof Lovemore Madhuku said it was not feasible to have the constitution changed for the President to have a third term.

"That is irrelevant, the constitution cannot be changed now. Whether the President wants to or not, he has to step down. The announcement of his retirement is not a voluntary act but a constitutional dictate," said Prof Madhuku.

"The people who are pushing for his third term assume they have power to change the constitution but it is too late for that now," he added.

Mnangagwa announced his retirement plan recently while commissioning of a Fruit Juice and Water Processing Plant at Mutare Teacher's College in Manicaland Province.