HAPPENING NOW: ED SHAKES UP POWER BALANCE, GENERAL SIBANDA STORMS INTO TOP ZANU-PF RANKS
Zanu-PF First Secretary and President Emmerson Mnangagwa has moved to tighten his grip on the ruling party by appointing veteran military figure Phillip Valerio Sibanda to the powerful Politburo.
A respected war veteran, former ZIPRA commander and retired Zimbabwe Defence Forces chief, Sibanda now joins the party’s top decision-making secretariat, which steers the influential Central Committee.
Insiders say the move signals more than routine restructuring. Sibanda is widely tipped to take over as Vice President, replacing the ailing Kembo Mohadi. The potential elevation could significantly reshape the succession race.
Political observers believe Mnangagwa is positioning Sibanda as a counterweight to current Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, long viewed as a frontrunner for the presidency in 2028.
Some party insiders even suggest Mnangagwa may favour Sibanda as his preferred successor—setting the stage for a high-stakes power struggle at the top.
