Opinion / Columnist
After making Zimbabweans suffer, the ZANU-PF leadership now wants to kill them!
09 Apr 2025 at 11:08hrs | Views
Do those in power really care about us?
After plunging millions of Zimbabweans into untold poverty and misery through corruption, misgovernance, and authoritarian rule, the ZANU-PF leadership appears now determined to take a far darker turn - towards a path that could plunge the nation into chaos, instability, and possibly civil war.
What began as a political power struggle over succession has now dangerously morphed into a factional showdown involving powerful figures in the military.
The ordinary people, already battered by decades of suffering, now face the grim possibility of being the next casualties - this time, not of economic mismanagement, but of violence.
Since the controversial push by President Emmerson Mnangagwa's loyalists for him to remain in office beyond the constitutional two five-term limit due to end in 2028, there has been an equally fierce counter-movement within ZANU-PF itself.
Those believed to be aligned with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga - who led the military-assisted ouster of Robert Mugabe in 2017 - have not only rejected the so-called "ED 2030 Agenda" but have openly demanded Mnangagwa's immediate resignation, citing failed leadership, rampant corruption, and mass poverty.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08
Among the loudest voices in this resistance is war veteran and former Central Committee member Blessed Geza, along with various war veterans' groups reportedly enjoying significant backing from elements within the military.
In a bold and dramatic move, Geza called for a national uprising on 31 March 2025, urging Zimbabweans to rise and demand Mnangagwa's resignation.
While the streets were not flooded with demonstrators, the call nevertheless resulted in a de facto nationwide shutdown, with businesses grinding to a halt and citizens staying home - not out of support for Mnangagwa, but from fear of retaliation and a reluctance to be caught in the crossfire of ZANU-PF's internal warfare.
This response reflected the current national mood.
With over 80% of the population living in poverty and more than 90% unemployed, the people have lost faith in Mnangagwa's leadership.
The situation is so dire that hopes pinned on the so-called "Second Republic" have long since dissolved into disillusionment and despair.
Yet, what makes the current scenario more alarming is the possibility that this power struggle may not remain confined to boardrooms or party meetings - it could spill into the barracks and streets, with devastating consequences for Zimbabwe.
There is every reason to believe that Geza's 31 March call was anchored in the hope that the military, much like in November 2017, would once again step in.
However, that possibility may have been quashed by a calculated move by Mnangagwa himself.
Just days before the planned uprising, Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army Lt. Gen. Anselem Sanyatwe was abruptly removed and appointed Minister of Sport.
This strategic redeployment is widely seen as Mnangagwa's attempt to pre-empt military involvement in the uprising, particularly since Sanyatwe was considered close to Chiwenga.
ZANU-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa could barely contain his glee as he hailed the move as a "masterstroke," revealing the regime's obsession with personal loyalty over national interest.
Indeed, this obsession with power preservation has defined Mnangagwa's rule.
Since taking over, several top military commanders seen as close to Chiwenga have been retired or redeployed in a bid to neutralize the vice president's influence and coup-proof the presidency.
Many of those instrumental in removing Mugabe - such as Perrence Shiri and Sibusiso Moyo, amongst numerous others - have died under mysterious circumstances.
Meanwhile, those loyal to Mnangagwa have been rewarded with promotions and strategic placements within the security apparatus, including the new Commander of the ZNA, Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Matatu.
Even more telling is the presence of Mnangagwa's own son, Sean, in the military, where he holds the rank of Major.
These moves reveal a regime that views state institutions not as national assets but as instruments of political survival.
The military's deepening entanglement in ZANU-PF's internal power struggles sets up a dangerous scenario.
The potential for a violent fallout is real.
We need only look at South Sudan for a chilling example.
Following independence in 2011, what started as a political rift between President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar quickly escalated into a deadly civil war.
Ethnic divisions were exploited, the army splintered, and the nation descended into chaos.
Over 400,000 people were killed, more than 4 million displaced, and critical infrastructure was reduced to rubble.
Schools, hospitals, and homes were razed, and the young country's dream of peace and prosperity was shattered.
This is not a hypothetical risk - it is a tragic reality that Zimbabwe could replicate if the military becomes an active participant in ZANU-PF's factional wars.
The warning signs are too stark to ignore.
Zimbabwe cannot afford the cost of political recklessness.
The dangers are not abstract - they include bloodshed, destruction of livelihoods, displacement of communities, and further economic collapse.
The very same ordinary citizens who have borne the brunt of decades of misrule will be the first to suffer.
They will lose their homes, their children will lose schools, the sick will be left without healthcare, and an already fragile economy will completely disintegrate.
Even the grassroots supporters being manipulated into taking sides in this intra-party conflict will be consumed by the fires their leaders are stoking.
If those in power truly cared about Zimbabwe, they would take steps to prevent this looming disaster.
But instead, reports have emerged that Mnangagwa is mulling the dismissal of Chiwenga - a move that would only escalate tensions and further imperil national stability.
Clearly, personal ambition has taken precedence over national interest.
The ZANU-PF leadership appears more focused on power games than on safeguarding the country's future.
The solution is both simple and urgent.
President Mnangagwa must publicly renounce any plans to extend his term beyond the constitutionally mandated 2028 limit.
He must unequivocally shut down the "ED 2030 Agenda" and send a clear message that he will step down at the end of his tenure in 2028.
ZANU-PF must allow a transparent and democratic process to unfold, where all interested candidates, including Chiwenga, are free to campaign for leadership at the upcoming elective congress.
Zimbabweans deserve to see democracy in action - not just during national elections but within political parties themselves.
In mature democracies like the United States, the United Kingdom, or South Africa, leadership transitions are managed through open, competitive, and peaceful processes.
Candidates vie for support based on their vision, not their military connections or loyalty to power blocs.
That is the culture Zimbabwe must adopt if we are to end this toxic cycle of factionalism, coups, and bloodshed.
ZANU-PF's history is littered with military-backed power struggles - from the ousting of founding president Ndabaningi Sithole in 1976 through the Mgagao Declaration, to Mugabe's removal in 2017.
Now, we face the very real prospect of another internal war, possibly with deadly consequences.
The only way out is through democracy - real, functioning democracy that allows for the peaceful transfer of power and the prioritization of national interests over personal ambitions.
This is the moment for the ZANU-PF leadership to show the country that they can change.
That they can grow.
That they are capable of putting Zimbabwe first.
It starts with one simple but courageous act: choosing peace over power.
Choosing country over self.
Let them act - before it's too late.
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
After plunging millions of Zimbabweans into untold poverty and misery through corruption, misgovernance, and authoritarian rule, the ZANU-PF leadership appears now determined to take a far darker turn - towards a path that could plunge the nation into chaos, instability, and possibly civil war.
What began as a political power struggle over succession has now dangerously morphed into a factional showdown involving powerful figures in the military.
The ordinary people, already battered by decades of suffering, now face the grim possibility of being the next casualties - this time, not of economic mismanagement, but of violence.
Since the controversial push by President Emmerson Mnangagwa's loyalists for him to remain in office beyond the constitutional two five-term limit due to end in 2028, there has been an equally fierce counter-movement within ZANU-PF itself.
Those believed to be aligned with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga - who led the military-assisted ouster of Robert Mugabe in 2017 - have not only rejected the so-called "ED 2030 Agenda" but have openly demanded Mnangagwa's immediate resignation, citing failed leadership, rampant corruption, and mass poverty.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08
Among the loudest voices in this resistance is war veteran and former Central Committee member Blessed Geza, along with various war veterans' groups reportedly enjoying significant backing from elements within the military.
In a bold and dramatic move, Geza called for a national uprising on 31 March 2025, urging Zimbabweans to rise and demand Mnangagwa's resignation.
While the streets were not flooded with demonstrators, the call nevertheless resulted in a de facto nationwide shutdown, with businesses grinding to a halt and citizens staying home - not out of support for Mnangagwa, but from fear of retaliation and a reluctance to be caught in the crossfire of ZANU-PF's internal warfare.
This response reflected the current national mood.
With over 80% of the population living in poverty and more than 90% unemployed, the people have lost faith in Mnangagwa's leadership.
The situation is so dire that hopes pinned on the so-called "Second Republic" have long since dissolved into disillusionment and despair.
Yet, what makes the current scenario more alarming is the possibility that this power struggle may not remain confined to boardrooms or party meetings - it could spill into the barracks and streets, with devastating consequences for Zimbabwe.
There is every reason to believe that Geza's 31 March call was anchored in the hope that the military, much like in November 2017, would once again step in.
However, that possibility may have been quashed by a calculated move by Mnangagwa himself.
Just days before the planned uprising, Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army Lt. Gen. Anselem Sanyatwe was abruptly removed and appointed Minister of Sport.
This strategic redeployment is widely seen as Mnangagwa's attempt to pre-empt military involvement in the uprising, particularly since Sanyatwe was considered close to Chiwenga.
ZANU-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa could barely contain his glee as he hailed the move as a "masterstroke," revealing the regime's obsession with personal loyalty over national interest.
Indeed, this obsession with power preservation has defined Mnangagwa's rule.
Since taking over, several top military commanders seen as close to Chiwenga have been retired or redeployed in a bid to neutralize the vice president's influence and coup-proof the presidency.
Many of those instrumental in removing Mugabe - such as Perrence Shiri and Sibusiso Moyo, amongst numerous others - have died under mysterious circumstances.
Meanwhile, those loyal to Mnangagwa have been rewarded with promotions and strategic placements within the security apparatus, including the new Commander of the ZNA, Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Matatu.
Even more telling is the presence of Mnangagwa's own son, Sean, in the military, where he holds the rank of Major.
These moves reveal a regime that views state institutions not as national assets but as instruments of political survival.
The military's deepening entanglement in ZANU-PF's internal power struggles sets up a dangerous scenario.
The potential for a violent fallout is real.
We need only look at South Sudan for a chilling example.
Following independence in 2011, what started as a political rift between President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar quickly escalated into a deadly civil war.
Ethnic divisions were exploited, the army splintered, and the nation descended into chaos.
Schools, hospitals, and homes were razed, and the young country's dream of peace and prosperity was shattered.
This is not a hypothetical risk - it is a tragic reality that Zimbabwe could replicate if the military becomes an active participant in ZANU-PF's factional wars.
The warning signs are too stark to ignore.
Zimbabwe cannot afford the cost of political recklessness.
The dangers are not abstract - they include bloodshed, destruction of livelihoods, displacement of communities, and further economic collapse.
The very same ordinary citizens who have borne the brunt of decades of misrule will be the first to suffer.
They will lose their homes, their children will lose schools, the sick will be left without healthcare, and an already fragile economy will completely disintegrate.
Even the grassroots supporters being manipulated into taking sides in this intra-party conflict will be consumed by the fires their leaders are stoking.
If those in power truly cared about Zimbabwe, they would take steps to prevent this looming disaster.
But instead, reports have emerged that Mnangagwa is mulling the dismissal of Chiwenga - a move that would only escalate tensions and further imperil national stability.
Clearly, personal ambition has taken precedence over national interest.
The ZANU-PF leadership appears more focused on power games than on safeguarding the country's future.
The solution is both simple and urgent.
President Mnangagwa must publicly renounce any plans to extend his term beyond the constitutionally mandated 2028 limit.
He must unequivocally shut down the "ED 2030 Agenda" and send a clear message that he will step down at the end of his tenure in 2028.
ZANU-PF must allow a transparent and democratic process to unfold, where all interested candidates, including Chiwenga, are free to campaign for leadership at the upcoming elective congress.
Zimbabweans deserve to see democracy in action - not just during national elections but within political parties themselves.
In mature democracies like the United States, the United Kingdom, or South Africa, leadership transitions are managed through open, competitive, and peaceful processes.
Candidates vie for support based on their vision, not their military connections or loyalty to power blocs.
That is the culture Zimbabwe must adopt if we are to end this toxic cycle of factionalism, coups, and bloodshed.
ZANU-PF's history is littered with military-backed power struggles - from the ousting of founding president Ndabaningi Sithole in 1976 through the Mgagao Declaration, to Mugabe's removal in 2017.
Now, we face the very real prospect of another internal war, possibly with deadly consequences.
The only way out is through democracy - real, functioning democracy that allows for the peaceful transfer of power and the prioritization of national interests over personal ambitions.
This is the moment for the ZANU-PF leadership to show the country that they can change.
That they can grow.
That they are capable of putting Zimbabwe first.
It starts with one simple but courageous act: choosing peace over power.
Choosing country over self.
Let them act - before it's too late.
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
Source - Tendai Ruben Mbofana
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