The love of power, much like the love of money, has revealed itself as the root of all evil. The ruling ZANU-PF party has once again thrown Zimbabwe into turmoil, not because of any ideological contestation over the country’s future, but because of an internal power struggle driven by selfish ambitions. At the centre of this fierce battle is the increasingly loud push by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s loyalists to extend his tenure beyond the constitutionally mandated two five-year terms, which are supposed to end in 2028.
This reckless manoeuvre not only undermines the Constitution but threatens peace, stability, and much-needed development in Zimbabwe. The intensifying factional fight has now spilled into the open, with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga confronting Mnangagwa in ways never before witnessed since the 2017 coup d’état that ousted long-time ruler Robert Mugabe. Chiwenga, the then Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF), was the chief architect of that coup.
Many believed he refrained from taking power himself out of fear of international backlash against a military regime. Instead, he invited back Mnangagwa, who had fled to South Africa after being fired by Mugabe, to assume the presidency. It was therefore always assumed that once Mnangagwa’s two terms expired, Chiwenga would be the natural successor.
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Yet, that apparent gentleman’s agreement now lies in ruins. Mnangagwa’s loyalists have been working overtime to push through resolutions at successive ZANU-PF conferences calling for an extension of his tenure. Incredibly, the same resolution was passed last year, yet the party seems intent on repeating it again at the upcoming 2025 conference.
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