HARARE – President Emmerson Mnangagwa will not support a push by the Zanu PF Women’s League and the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association to disqualify MDC leader Nelson Chamisa from the next election through a constitutional amendment, Deputy Information Minister Energy Mutodi said on Tuesday.
The Zanu PF women’s wing and the liberation war veterans have asked the party’s annual conference which is underway at Mzingwane High School in Esigodini to adopt a resolution which would see the minimum age for a Presidential Candidate raised from the current 40 to 52.
If adopted, and Zanu PF – which enjoys a two thirds majority in parliament – amends the constitution, 40-year-old Chamisa would be prevented from running for President in 2023.
“Let me make it clear that His Excellency President ED Mnangagwa will not seek to outdo his rival in the last election Nelson Chamisa by increasing the age limit for Presidential candidates. Instead, his policies and actions will do the bidding for his next term,” Mutodi said on Twitter.
The Zanu PF Women’s League position was announced by its secretary for administration Monica Mutsvangwa, who is Mutodi’s boss as Information Minister.
This is not t he first time Mutodi and Mutsvangwa have clashed since a Cabinet was appointed in September.
Hon. Energy Mutodi (MP)@energymutodiLet me make it clear that His Excellency President ED Mnangagwa will not seek to outdo his rival in the last election Nelson Chamisa by increasing the age limit for Presidential candidates. Instead, his policies and actions will do the bidding for his next term.
After Mutodi threatened that the government could withdraw a publishing licence granted to Alpha Media Holdings in a row with the newspaper group’s owner, Trevor Ncube, he was made to publicly apologise by Mutsvangwa.
When Mutsvangwa attempted to make senior editorial changes at Zimpapers, Mutodi got his revenge after apparently enlisting Mnangagwa’s help to stop the sacking of the Herald and Sunday Mail editors. – ZimLive
