NTA advocates warn of state capture and instability

A group of prominent Zimbabweans backing the creation of a National Transitional Authority (NTA) has warned that fierce succession battles within the ruling Zanu-PF party have laid bare deep-rooted state capture and institutional decay - pushing the country dangerously close to political instability.

The warning follows intensifying divisions within Zanu-PF over attempts to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa's term beyond 2028, with some party loyalists pushing for elections to be postponed until 2035. Although Mnangagwa has publicly declared himself a constitutionalist who will step down when his term ends, the ruling party's recent conference in Mutare saw open support for the controversial "2030 agenda."

The factional wars burst into the open after Vice President Constantino Chiwenga reportedly presented a dossier exposing the "2030 agenda" and accusing business allies linked to Mnangagwa - including Wicknell Chivhayo, Scott Sakupwanya and Kudakwashe Tagwirei - of state capture and corruption. Chiwenga called for their arrest, alleging that they were enriching themselves while ordinary citizens suffered.

Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, a close Mnangagwa ally, dismissed Chiwenga's dossier as "treasonous" during last week's politburo meeting. Chiwenga, however, is widely viewed as Mnangagwa's strongest successor contender, while others such as businessman Tagwirei and Zanu-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa are also believed to harbour presidential ambitions.

In a statement released over the weekend, the NTA steering committee - chaired by Ibbo Mandaza with Tony Reeler as secretary and Obert Masaraure as publicity secretary - said Zanu-PF's infighting mirrors the tensions that led to the 2017 military coup that toppled Robert Mugabe.

"His [Blessed Geza's] demands - to end state capture, reject the unconstitutional ‘2030 agenda,' and hold looters accountable - reflect the anger and despair of citizens who have endured poverty, corruption and repression for far too long," the statement read.

The committee warned, however, that uncoordinated protests could lead to chaos similar to that of 2017. "While the frustration is justified, spontaneous mass protests without a structured framework risk plunging Zimbabwe into the same cycle of chaos that followed the 2017 coup," it said.

Geza had recently called for a "million-man march" to protest against corruption and state capture, but the demonstration was thwarted by a heavy police presence. Ten war veterans, including Rose Chirenje (65) and Edward Mandikutse (69), were arrested for allegedly planning to lead the protest and now face charges of inciting public violence.

The NTA group said growing fear and repression had silenced public dissent, while divisions within the military made the political environment unpredictable. "Today, ordinary citizens are reluctant to take to the streets, fearing for their safety and livelihoods in an environment of rising state brutality and economic hardship. The military, once a decisive actor, is itself fractured and unpredictable," the statement said.

The group proposed the establishment of a structured, inclusive and time-bound transitional authority to restore the rule of law, dismantle state capture, and reform electoral and judicial institutions. "An NTA is not a political manoeuvre but a national necessity - a platform to rebuild trust, accountability, and stability after decades of misrule. Zanu-PF's collapse is inevitable," the statement added.

Political analyst Reason Wafawarova described the so-called "Breaking Barriers Initiative" - a plan to extend Parliament's term and delay elections to 2035 - as "a constitutional magic trick" designed to entrench Mnangagwa's rule under the guise of reform.

"At the centre of this theatre sits Speaker Jacob Mudenda, promoted from referee to stage director," Wafawarova said. "The plan is to make citizens feel like they are participating while ensuring the ending never changes. It's a coup not of guns, but of gavel strikes."

He warned that by seeking to redefine term limits and election cycles, Zanu-PF was undermining democracy itself. "A republic dies quietly, not in explosions but in standing ovations for bad theatre," he said. "Zimbabwe has reached the point where the applause itself has become treasonous to the idea of democracy."

Meanwhile, addressing delegates at the party's conference, Mnangagwa urged members to prepare for the 2028 elections, insisting they remain focused on serving the people. Chiwenga, in his address, reminded members of their liberation legacy.

"We must always remember that we are not the Alpha and the Omega of Zimbabwe's journey," Chiwenga said. "Those who fell during the liberation war are watching us. Their voices cry out against corruption, laziness, and moral decay."

Despite such rhetoric, analysts warn that Zanu-PF's growing factionalism, deepening public disillusionment, and unresolved succession tensions could plunge Zimbabwe into another political crisis - one reminiscent of the events that reshaped the nation in 2017.