Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s ambitions to take over the reins from President Emmerson Mnangagwa in 2028 have suffered a major setback, after his own hometown, Mashonaland East Province, publicly endorsed Mnangagwa for an extended term until 2030.
Daniel Garwe, Chairman of Zanu-PF’s Mashonaland East Province, is orchestrating a smear campaign against Chiwenga, leveraging a selective propaganda approach, “Card Stacking”, that portrays Mnangagwa as the only leader capable of guiding Zimbabwe towards its Vision 2030 goal of attaining upper-middle-class economic status.
“After seeing the positive results in terms of developments that are being done across the whole province, we agreed as a province that President Mnangagwa should stay,” Garwe said during a provincial inter-district conference in Goromonzi on Sunday.
“Each district is being developed, from Nyamapanda to Chikomba, there is development. Yes, President Mnangagwa said in Mutare that he will rest after his second term, but we are now appealing to him; we are persuading him to stay beyond 2028.
“We are sending you Cde (Munyaradzi Machacha to our President; please tell him that your children in Mashonaland East province are asking you to stay in office beyond 2028.
“Tell him that we want him to be with us till 2030, as the First Secretary for Zanu PF, as the President of our party and as the President of Zimbabwe.”
This means that Chiwenga, who harbors ambitions to succeed Mnangagwa, is not being supported by people from his own province.
Chiwenga was born in 1956 in Wedza District of Mashonaland East Province. He was educated up to O Level at St Mary’s Mission in Wedza.
Mnangagwa recently announced that he would step down as the country’s leader at the end of his second term in 2028 as stipulated by the Constitution. He said the party will then choose a new leader who follows his footsteps. He did not endorse Chiwenga as his successor.
Observers, however, are doubting the sincerity of his plans as evidenced by his failure to shut down different Zanu-PF factions that are advising him to subvert the Constitution and stay in power beyond 2028.
Chiwenga played a pivotal role in President Mnangagwa’s rise to power. In 2017, Chiwenga, then an Army General, led the military coup that ousted former President Robert Mugabe, paving the way for Mnangagwa’s return from exile and subsequent assumption of power.
It is alleged that the two had made a pact to succeed each other, but Mnangagwa is now reportedly planning to renege on this promise, leading to widespread factionalism within Zanu-PF and the government.
Saviour Kasukuwere, a former cabinet minister, condemned the attempts by factional interests within Zanu-PF to mobilise support for Mnangagwa’s third term in office, despite his second term having just begun.
He views this as a careless and dangerous move that threatens the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
Kasukuwere called on various groups, including politicians, clergy, veterans, peasants, business leaders, youths, women, and citizens, to rise up and defend the Constitution against this assault.
He said that the campaign for a third term is already underway, with some efforts being disguised as social engagements.
Kasukuwere urged collective action to stop this “madness” and prevent the personalisation of the country’s future. He believes that Mnangagwa is behind these efforts and will only yield to public pressure, emphasizing the need for a united stand against this divisive rhetoric.
“The ill-fated 2030 mobilisation by factional interests within Zanu-PF must be resisted. The current government is yet to complete a year in its second term of office. ED was sworn in for the second and last term on the 4th of September, 2023,” the former Zanu-PF Political Commissar said.
“To imagine that his minions are already running around motivating for a third term is careless and dangerous. This will require that we rise up and defend the Constitution of Zimbabwe from this calculated assault.
“Politicians, the clergy, veterans of the struggle, peasants, business leaders, youths, women and all citizens, this is the time to say no to this madness.
“Already, the ‘cooking ‘ is underway at times disguised as gastronomy engagements! The women and youths are now being prepared accordingly.
“The multiple voices within the party are sending different signals and sadly, it appears ED (Mnangagwa) is very much behind these shenanigans, typical modus operandi, deny, deny then yield to the people’s demands.
“The country, therefore, has to stop this madness before the future of our children is personalised. We have to join hands and take a stand against this crude and divisive rhetoric,” Kasukuwere said.