News / National
Zimbabwe at tipping point over ED2030
29 Jan 2025 at 08:50hrs | Views
Hard-hitting statements by Zimbabwe's war veterans calling on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to step down have exposed deepening factional rifts within Zanu-PF over the controversial push to extend his term to 2030, according to party insiders and political analysts.
Zanu-PF's annual conference in October 2024 saw the adoption of a resolution to extend Mnangagwa's tenure by two years, despite the President's repeated assertion that he plans to retire at the end of his final term in 2028. Mnangagwa's loyalists have been pushing ahead with the 2030 agenda, holding weekly meetings and rallying support in various constituencies, but this has sparked significant resistance within the party.
The tensions came to a head over the weekend when Blessed Geza, a member of the Zanu-PF Central Committee, and other war veterans publicly opposed the extension of Mnangagwa's term, with Geza even calling for the President to step down. The statement by the war veterans is seen as a rallying cry for the country's ex-combatants and broader political opposition to the 2030 proposal.
On Monday, Acting President Constantino Chiwenga, widely regarded as a frontrunner to succeed Mnangagwa, also spoke out against corruption at the National Heroes Acre, where he was greeted with chants of support. His comments further reinforced the growing anti-2030 sentiment within the party.
A senior Zanu-PF official, speaking to NewsDay, suggested that the war veterans' statement marked a significant turning point for the party and the Mnangagwa administration. "The President will try to resist, do all that he can for now, but the die has been cast," the official said. "The position of those war veterans normally speaks to the position of party members, and what they are saying is exactly what the party membership is thinking about."
The official added that the pro-Chiwenga chants at the National Heroes Acre, coming just a day after Geza's statement, underscored the growing resistance to the 2030 plan, with Chiwenga's remarks on corruption further undermining Mnangagwa's position.
Political analysts agree that Zanu-PF is at a tipping point due to these factional struggles. Eldred Masunungure, a political analyst, said that the current situation in Zanu-PF mirrors the tensions of 2017, which led to the ousting of former President Robert Mugabe. "There is too much going on, and we are probably seeing a confrontation within the party and military or more broadly the security sector," Masunungure warned.
He also noted that the war veterans' statements represent the broader sentiment within the security sector and the public. "We are entering troubled times and it may not end well unless there is an intervention to bring down the temperatures," he said, drawing parallels to the 2017 coup that removed Mugabe.
Analyst Ibbo Mandaza also suggested that the war veterans' stance resonates with ordinary Zimbabweans. "The statement by the war veterans resonates with the population at large," Mandaza said, pointing to the public support Chiwenga received at the Heroes Acre. He argued that the war veterans are likely to garner popular support due to widespread frustration with corruption and impunity within the ruling party.
The ongoing internal divisions in Zanu-PF have drawn the attention of religious and political leaders. Last week, the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations warned that the call to extend Mnangagwa's presidency and postpone the 2028 elections constitutes "an invitation for the President to be a co-conspirator in overthrowing the Constitution of the country."
In a bid to defuse tensions, Information Minister Jenfan Muswere stated last week that there was nothing criminal in either supporting or opposing the 2030 agenda, while Zanu-PF Commissar Munyaradzi Machacha reiterated that members of the party should not be persecuted for opposing the extension of Mnangagwa's term.
As political factions continue to clash within Zanu-PF, all eyes will be on how the leadership responds to the mounting resistance. The outcome of these internal struggles could have far-reaching implications for the future of the party and the country.
Zanu-PF's annual conference in October 2024 saw the adoption of a resolution to extend Mnangagwa's tenure by two years, despite the President's repeated assertion that he plans to retire at the end of his final term in 2028. Mnangagwa's loyalists have been pushing ahead with the 2030 agenda, holding weekly meetings and rallying support in various constituencies, but this has sparked significant resistance within the party.
The tensions came to a head over the weekend when Blessed Geza, a member of the Zanu-PF Central Committee, and other war veterans publicly opposed the extension of Mnangagwa's term, with Geza even calling for the President to step down. The statement by the war veterans is seen as a rallying cry for the country's ex-combatants and broader political opposition to the 2030 proposal.
On Monday, Acting President Constantino Chiwenga, widely regarded as a frontrunner to succeed Mnangagwa, also spoke out against corruption at the National Heroes Acre, where he was greeted with chants of support. His comments further reinforced the growing anti-2030 sentiment within the party.
A senior Zanu-PF official, speaking to NewsDay, suggested that the war veterans' statement marked a significant turning point for the party and the Mnangagwa administration. "The President will try to resist, do all that he can for now, but the die has been cast," the official said. "The position of those war veterans normally speaks to the position of party members, and what they are saying is exactly what the party membership is thinking about."
The official added that the pro-Chiwenga chants at the National Heroes Acre, coming just a day after Geza's statement, underscored the growing resistance to the 2030 plan, with Chiwenga's remarks on corruption further undermining Mnangagwa's position.
Political analysts agree that Zanu-PF is at a tipping point due to these factional struggles. Eldred Masunungure, a political analyst, said that the current situation in Zanu-PF mirrors the tensions of 2017, which led to the ousting of former President Robert Mugabe. "There is too much going on, and we are probably seeing a confrontation within the party and military or more broadly the security sector," Masunungure warned.
He also noted that the war veterans' statements represent the broader sentiment within the security sector and the public. "We are entering troubled times and it may not end well unless there is an intervention to bring down the temperatures," he said, drawing parallels to the 2017 coup that removed Mugabe.
Analyst Ibbo Mandaza also suggested that the war veterans' stance resonates with ordinary Zimbabweans. "The statement by the war veterans resonates with the population at large," Mandaza said, pointing to the public support Chiwenga received at the Heroes Acre. He argued that the war veterans are likely to garner popular support due to widespread frustration with corruption and impunity within the ruling party.
The ongoing internal divisions in Zanu-PF have drawn the attention of religious and political leaders. Last week, the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations warned that the call to extend Mnangagwa's presidency and postpone the 2028 elections constitutes "an invitation for the President to be a co-conspirator in overthrowing the Constitution of the country."
In a bid to defuse tensions, Information Minister Jenfan Muswere stated last week that there was nothing criminal in either supporting or opposing the 2030 agenda, while Zanu-PF Commissar Munyaradzi Machacha reiterated that members of the party should not be persecuted for opposing the extension of Mnangagwa's term.
As political factions continue to clash within Zanu-PF, all eyes will be on how the leadership responds to the mounting resistance. The outcome of these internal struggles could have far-reaching implications for the future of the party and the country.
Source - newsday
