GOKWE – A dramatic confrontation last week between Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga and Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Owen “Mudha” Ncube has exposed deepening fissures within Zanu-PF over controversial efforts to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rule beyond 2028.
The tense exchange occurred on Wednesday at Mutapa Community Hall in Gweru during the handover of the Independence Day flame to the Midlands Province. Witnesses say Chiwenga, clearly angered, paused while greeting government officials and party leaders and addressed Ncube sharply, saying:
“You are hunting for me. What will happen when the hunter becomes the hunted?”
Sources at the event, which was attended by senior Zanu-PF officials and government ministers, described a stunned Ncube, who responded with a forced smile, as those around them looked on in disbelief.
“The situation was very tense,” said a senior party official who declined to be named. “It was clear that something serious is simmering beneath the surface.”
The confrontation underscores growing tensions between factions in the ruling party, particularly over the so-called “2030 Agenda” – a campaign being pushed by Mnangagwa loyalists to extend his presidency beyond the constitutional two-term limit. Ncube, a vocal proponent of the agenda, and other supporters noticeably refrained from chanting slogans or donning regalia endorsing the term extension at the event – a departure from recent gatherings.
Zanu-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa recently confirmed to UK-based investigative outlet DugUp that President Mnangagwa is not supportive of Chiwenga succeeding him. He further revealed that the push to extend Mnangagwa’s term is partly aimed at blocking Chiwenga’s ascent to the presidency.
“That guy wanted to be anointed… How do you do that? You’re squaring a circle!” Mutsvangwa said. “The president is saying no, we must go for elections. That’s normal for a democratic party.”
Behind closed doors, Mnangagwa’s inner circle is reportedly working to dilute Chiwenga’s influence, especially within the security sector. Last month, the president abruptly retired Zimbabwe National Army commander Lieutenant General Anselem Sanyatwe — a key Chiwenga ally — reassigning him to the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture. Analysts view the move as strategic, weakening Chiwenga’s military backing ahead of a potential succession battle.
In another twist, Mnangagwa allies are said to be lobbying for businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei to replace Chiwenga as vice-president. Tagwirei recently secured an endorsement from Zanu-PF Harare Province for elevation to the party’s Central Committee — a sign of his growing political clout.
“Mnangagwa is under pressure from certain party elements to fire Chiwenga,” a senior Zanu-PF source said. “They fear he could pursue them for corruption if he ever becomes president.”
Chiwenga has increasingly positioned himself as an anti-corruption crusader, repeatedly warning that graft by powerful elites poses a national security threat. His refusal to participate in 2030 slogan chanting at public events is widely seen as a subtle, yet firm, rejection of Mnangagwa’s extension campaign.
Meanwhile, pressure is also mounting from war veterans, including prominent figures like Blessed Geza, who have openly called for Mnangagwa’s removal and even floated the possibility of impeachment proceedings.
Chiwenga, once Mnangagwa’s most trusted lieutenant, played a central role in the 2017 coup that ousted long-time leader Robert Mugabe and paved the way for Mnangagwa’s ascendancy. But as succession politics intensify, the alliance between the two men appears to be crumbling.
With internal divisions widening and rival factions jockeying for influence, political analysts warn that the ongoing power struggle could have profound consequences for Zanu-PF — and for Zimbabwe’s future.
— Source: The Standard
