Mwonzora says Zanu-PF punishing him for resisting 2030 agenda

Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) president, Douglas Mwonzora, is seething with anger after the High Court ruled to nullify his party's 2022 ordinary congress, declaring it invalid due to irregularities. Mwonzora, who ascended to the MDC-T leadership following the 2020 extraordinary congress, is now facing the prospect of having to step down and oversee a new congress within six months, following the court's directive.

In a statement responding to the ruling, Mwonzora did not mince words, accusing Zanu-PF of being behind the decision as part of a broader plan to thwart his party's resistance against President Emmerson Mnangagwa's controversial 2030 agenda. This agenda is seen by critics, including Mwonzora, as an effort to extend Mnangagwa's presidency beyond the constitutional two-term limit, which ends in 2028.

"I want to say we are going to intensify our fight against the 2030 agenda. We will never allow anybody to intimidate us into abandoning our fight for constitutional rights," Mwonzora declared. "If a faction within Zanu-PF has a hand in this judgment, tough luck. We are going to resist, we will never allow the emasculation of our Constitution," he added.

Mwonzora, who was a key figure in the drafting of the 2013 Constitution, stressed that Zimbabweans had spoken clearly during the consultation process and the subsequent referendum. He reiterated his stance that President Mnangagwa must vacate office after 2028 and vowed that no amount of intimidation would change his party's resolve.

"The people of Zimbabwe are stakeholders in the Constitution. They spoke about what they wanted, and they said that a president must serve a maximum of 10 years," said Mwonzora. "President Mnangagwa, after the expiry of your term in 2028, go home, and nothing will intimidate us from this path," he added.

Turning his attention to the court's decision regarding MDC-T's congress, Mwonzora said he was ready to defend his leadership at a fresh congress. "When the time comes, I will face anyone in the congress. I am willing to face Mudzuri, anyone, and we all know what the outcome will be. Zanu-PF knows they will be defeated," he boasted.

Mwonzora's leadership has faced internal challenges since the 2020 congress, where he decisively defeated rival candidates Thokozani Khupe, Elias Mudzuri, and Morgen Komichi, amid accusations of electoral malpractice and violence. Despite the protests, Mwonzora was declared the victor, a result that has been contested by some within the party, culminating in the court case that led to the recent ruling.

The ruling also impacts the MDC-T's 2022 congress, where Mwonzora was endorsed as the party's sole presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections. The court's verdict, handed down by Justice Hapias Zhou on February 28, 2025, declared the congress null and void due to noncompliance with the party's constitution. The court ordered that a new national congress be held within six months, overseen by an independent election commission as stipulated in the MDC-T's governing documents.

The decision is expected to cause further division within the MDC-T as the party grapples with leadership challenges and internal conflict. Mwonzora, however, remains resolute in his determination to retain control of the party and to continue his fight against what he perceives as a concerted effort to undermine Zimbabwe's constitutional framework.