Sanyatwe sparks surprise after endorsing ED2030 agenda

Nyanga North legislator and Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Deputy Minister Chido Sanyatwe on Saturday reportedly stunned Zanu-PF structures after she appeared to reverse her stance by endorsing efforts to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa's term in office to 2030.

Sanyatwe, who is regarded as a close ally of Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, made the unexpected shift during the launch of the Presidential Constituency Empowerment Programme in Nyanga over the weekend.

The programme was presided over by President Mnangagwa's special investment adviser, Mr Paul Tungwarara, who has been on a tour of Manicaland distributing US$25 000 to each constituency under the empowerment initiative.

Manicaland Province has eight districts, and Mr Tungwarara had already visited six districts before the Nyanga events. He has so far disbursed funds to 23 constituencies and is expected to conclude his tour in Mutare, where three constituencies — Chikanga, Dangamvura and Mutare — are scheduled to receive funding on Sunday.

Party sources said Sanyatwe had not attended several of the empowerment programmes held earlier in the province, making her presence in Nyanga particularly noteworthy.

She reportedly drew attention from party supporters when she joined chants of the "ED2030" slogan, a move that surprised many given her absence from previous events convened by Mr Tungwarara.

"All eyes were on her," said a Zanu-PF source in Manicaland. "She was under pressure to attend the empowerment programme in Nyanga because not showing up would have been viewed as a deliberate snub of the President's policies and empowerment initiatives."

The source added that her participation and public endorsement were seen as a clear signal of support for President Mnangagwa's 2030 vision.

Sanyatwe received the US$25 000 empowerment fund alongside Nyanga South legislator Mr Supa Mandiwanzira.

In her address, Sanyatwe praised President Mnangagwa for rolling out constituency empowerment programmes and commended Mr Tungwarara for his role in implementing them.

"I would like to thank the special adviser Paul Tungwarara for all these efforts in reviving our community through these empowerment funds," she said.

She added that her constituency remained firmly behind the ruling party.

"My constituency has no opposition councillors since 2018 up to now and my people will remain in the ruling party forever, and with the empowerment funds, they will continue to see the good things about our President," she said.

Sanyatwe is the wife of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture Minister Anselem Sanyatwe.