HARARE – A contentious Zanu PF provincial co-ordinating committee (PCC) meeting in Harare on Sunday revealed internal resistance to the ED2030 slogan, a rallying cry some party loyalists are using to advocate for the extension of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rule beyond his second and final term, which constitutionally ends in 2028.
According to insiders, members at the PCC meeting were directed to stop chanting “ED2030,” which calls for Mnangagwa to remain in power until 2030, in a bid to prevent further division within the party. Tensions surfaced as party loyalists from the Midlands and Masvingo provinces have been lobbying for a term extension, despite Mnangagwa’s own stated intention to step down at the end of his term in 2028.
During the meeting, Harare chairperson Godwills Masimirembwa faced sharp criticism from party members, with national commissar Munyaradzi Machacha fielding questions over the slogan’s continued use despite Mnangagwa’s apparent opposition. Machacha reportedly clarified that the party’s current position involves selecting a new leader in 2027 to contest the 2028 elections, a stance seemingly at odds with the efforts to keep the ED2030 slogan alive.
“Machacha stated clearly that the president’s term ends in 2028, and the party will select a new leader ahead of the general elections,” shared a source close to the proceedings. However, supporters of the slogan maintain that Mnangagwa’s leadership remains crucial for Zanu PF’s stability and continuity, sparking friction between different factions within the ruling party.
Zanu PF spokesperson Farai Marapira, currently in China, did not comment on the matter, while Machacha also refrained from discussing the slogan’s controversial usage. Masimirembwa, however, downplayed reports of discord, insisting that the meeting had proceeded without incident and that the agenda had focused on strengthening party structures and promoting unity within the Harare chapter. He labelled allegations of a grilling session as the work of detractors and dismissed reports of internal conflict over the slogan as “lies and disunity spread on social media.”
Despite his assurances, sources claim that Masimirembwa was heavily criticized during the meeting, with accusations of his inability to unify the Harare structures. Allegedly, the chairperson narrowly avoided suspension, as certain party members argued that his leadership has fractured the party’s provincial structures.
The internal strife over the ED2030 slogan reflects broader divisions within Zanu PF. Mnangagwa’s loyalists, primarily from the Midlands and Masvingo provinces, support the term extension as a safeguard for Zanu PF’s continuity; however, powerful stakeholders, including the military and war veterans, are reportedly against altering the constitutionally mandated term limits. Last week, war veteran Blessing Geza openly criticized the push to extend Mnangagwa’s term, asserting that such a move was “dead in the water” and suggesting that Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga is well-positioned to assume leadership in 2028.
During Zanu PF’s annual conference in Bulawayo in October, Mnangagwa publicly confirmed his intent not to seek re-election beyond his second term, a statement that seemingly contrasts with the party’s adoption of a resolution to consider extending his tenure. Mnangagwa’s stance has reportedly tempered some of the term-extension advocacy within Zanu PF, with sources suggesting that he scaled back after facing opposition from influential groups within the party.
The slogan’s divisive impact is evident at the grassroots level, where its lack of broad support has further complicated efforts to consolidate party unity ahead of the 2028 elections.
Source: News Day