ZANU PF’S NEW POWER PLAN IS A DANGER TO OUR FUTURE
President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his friends in ZANU PF are again working on a new plan to stay in power beyond his second term, which is supposed to end in 2028. The noise about who will take over in 2030 may be quiet right now, but the real fight is still happening behind closed doors. People may not see it, but the plan is moving fast.
Mnangagwa’s allies want to push another idea at the next ZANU PF conference in Mutare, which will run from 13 to 18 October. They want a change in the constitution so that Mnangagwa can stay in power until 2030 or even longer. Last year, at the Bulawayo conference, they passed a resolution that already opened the door for him to extend his rule to 2030. Now they want to go further and make sure the law is changed to support that idea.
Before the politburo meeting on 2 July, the party gave Patrick Chinamasa and Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi the job of finding a legal way to turn the 2023 resolution into law. At first, Chinamasa was not happy about the idea. But he later agreed because he is close to businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei, who also wants more power in the party. Tagwirei wants a seat in the Central Committee, and he is one of Mnangagwa’s biggest supporters.
Mnangagwa says he does not want to stay beyond his two terms, but what his allies are doing shows the opposite. They behave as if they are acting alone, but they would not be doing all this without his support. This is a clear trick to fool the public.
The strange part is that Mnangagwa came to power through a coup in 2017. Now he is trying to block Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, the man who helped him take power. Mnangagwa now wants someone else to take over, someone he chooses, not Chiwenga. This shows how deep the fear and mistrust are inside ZANU PF.
Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe even told the media that there will be no elections in 2028. He says elections will only happen in 2030 and that the Mutare conference will make sure the constitution is changed. But the constitution of Zimbabwe is very clear. Elections must happen every five years. Delaying elections is breaking the law.
Garwe also said all ten ZANU PF provinces will support the idea to push elections to 2030. It is clear ZANU PF does not want a national vote on changing term limits. They know people will not support Mnangagwa staying in power for longer, so they want to use Parliament to delay elections. Many legal experts say this is wrong and is another silent coup.
This plan will be discussed at the Mutare conference at the Polytechnic College. Mnangagwa’s inner circle is working day and night to make sure he stays as party leader and president beyond 2028. They talk about loyalty, but what they really want is to protect themselves.
Even though Mnangagwa keeps saying he will follow the constitution, his actions and the actions of his allies show something different. His supporters say he must stay because of his “God-ordained vision” for 2030 and beyond. But the truth is simple. They are scared. They are scared of losing power. They fear what could happen if Chiwenga takes over or if a new election brings fresh leadership.
This fight is not about the people. It is not about progress. It is about greed, fear, and power. ZANU PF leaders want to change the rules so they can keep eating while the people continue to suffer. They want to protect themselves, not the country.
The voices calling for Mnangagwa to step down in 2028 must get louder. This is our country. We must not let the constitution be broken to satisfy one man’s ambition. Power must return to the people. And the time to act is now.
