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Mnangagwa, Chiwenga rift deepens
1 hr ago |
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President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy, Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, appear to be headed for an open fallout following a reported heated Cabinet confrontation over proposals to extend the President's tenure to 2030.
Sources say tensions spilled over from Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, where ministers reportedly clashed over controversial constitutional reforms, into a high-level Zanu-PF Politburo Strategic Seminar held in Harare yesterday.
Mnangagwa is said to have come out strongly during the seminar, in what insiders described as a thinly veiled attack on internal dissenters opposed to the 2030 agenda. Although he did not mention names, party sources say the remarks were widely interpreted as directed at Chiwenga.
Chiwenga did not attend the politburo seminar, a move seen by observers as further evidence of a widening rift between the two leaders. He also skipped the party's inaugural Strategic Seminar for Central Committee members held in Gweru last week, which focused on strengthening internal governance and aligning party leadership with national development objectives under Vision 2030.
The two-day Harare retreat was aimed at reinforcing Zanu-PF's ideological foundations and consolidating leadership unity around the country's development trajectory. However, Chiwenga's absence cast a shadow over the proceedings.
Mnangagwa and Chiwenga are reportedly locked in a fierce succession struggle that has increasingly divided both the ruling party and government structures. The infighting has intensified amid Cabinet's reported approval of far-reaching constitutional and legal reforms that would significantly alter Zimbabwe's political architecture.
Among the proposed changes are the extension of Mnangagwa's tenure to 2030, increasing the presidential term from five to seven years, and abolishing direct presidential elections in favour of a parliamentary electoral system.
Critics argue that the reforms would fundamentally reshape the country's governance framework, while supporters maintain they are necessary for stability and continuity in pursuit of Vision 2030.
The developments are likely to heighten political tensions within Zanu-PF as the debate over succession and constitutional reform gathers momentum.
Sources say tensions spilled over from Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, where ministers reportedly clashed over controversial constitutional reforms, into a high-level Zanu-PF Politburo Strategic Seminar held in Harare yesterday.
Mnangagwa is said to have come out strongly during the seminar, in what insiders described as a thinly veiled attack on internal dissenters opposed to the 2030 agenda. Although he did not mention names, party sources say the remarks were widely interpreted as directed at Chiwenga.
Chiwenga did not attend the politburo seminar, a move seen by observers as further evidence of a widening rift between the two leaders. He also skipped the party's inaugural Strategic Seminar for Central Committee members held in Gweru last week, which focused on strengthening internal governance and aligning party leadership with national development objectives under Vision 2030.
Mnangagwa and Chiwenga are reportedly locked in a fierce succession struggle that has increasingly divided both the ruling party and government structures. The infighting has intensified amid Cabinet's reported approval of far-reaching constitutional and legal reforms that would significantly alter Zimbabwe's political architecture.
Among the proposed changes are the extension of Mnangagwa's tenure to 2030, increasing the presidential term from five to seven years, and abolishing direct presidential elections in favour of a parliamentary electoral system.
Critics argue that the reforms would fundamentally reshape the country's governance framework, while supporters maintain they are necessary for stability and continuity in pursuit of Vision 2030.
The developments are likely to heighten political tensions within Zanu-PF as the debate over succession and constitutional reform gathers momentum.
Source - online
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