Harare, Zimbabwe – Tensions reached a peak during a recent Zanu PF Central Committee meeting as senior party officials clashed over the push to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term beyond 2028, a move which has laid bare longstanding rivalries between Mnangagwa and his deputy, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.
The debate around the campaign, dubbed “ED2030,” has intensified as it gains backing from Zanu PF’s 10 provincial committees, with the National People’s Conference in Bulawayo expected to solidify this support. Although this endorsement would mark a critical step forward, any formal change requires approval at the next congress, tentatively slated for 2027, or through an extraordinary congress.
The Central Committee meeting, held at the Zanu PF headquarters in Harare, saw heightened emotions as officials discussed the divisive ED2030 campaign for more than two hours. Mnangagwa, who has previously described himself as a “constitutionalist,” was notably reserved, addressing party unity and discipline without explicitly endorsing or rejecting the term extension initiative. Attendees noted that the controversial slogan was conspicuously absent during the meeting.
The party’s national political commissar, Munyaradzi Machacha, presented a report that highlighted escalating factionalism, which triggered an open and sometimes heated debate. Senior party insiders reported that Vice President Chiwenga stressed the need for internal cohesion, warning against a return to the political divisions that led to the 2017 military intervention, which ousted long-time leader Robert Mugabe.
“We don’t want to revisit the disunity of 2017,” Chiwenga stated, underscoring the need to curtail rampant indiscipline that, he claimed, was sowing division. While Mnangagwa refrained from commenting on the extension campaign directly, Chiwenga’s veiled references to unity and stability suggested his unease with the initiative.
Zanu PF national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri addressed the meeting with a forceful warning against factionalism, vowing that “heads will roll” to restore unity across the provinces. Plans to address the issue post-conference have been announced, beginning with Harare.
Meanwhile, the campaign has reportedly fuelled factional strife within Zanu PF’s Harare structures. Harare Provincial Chairperson Goodwills Masimirembwa recently condemned infighting within his province, attributing it to disagreements over party succession and alleging that such discord was even behind a recent petrol bomb attack on his business premises.
Mnangagwa, though silent on the campaign in his address, received vocal support from multiple Central Committee members. One attendee, in a nod to the President’s leadership, declared, “We support you, President. We are fully behind you if you decide to stay until 2030.” Another official highlighted Mnangagwa’s achievements since taking office, attributing significant national developments to his leadership.
However, divisions in the room surfaced when Politburo member Andy Mhlanga was booed after echoing Mnangagwa’s previous stance of stepping down in 2028, with some party members interpreting his remarks as a rebuke of the extension campaign. Despite this, sources indicate that if the provincial endorsement is confirmed at the conference, it will likely signal Mnangagwa’s intention to stay in power beyond his current term.
The issue has also fuelled social media speculation, with photos of T-shirts supporting Chiwenga circulating online. In response, Senate President Mabel Chinomona distanced herself from rumours linking her to a vice-presidential campaign. Zanu PF’s Central Committee has since resolved to pursue legal action against those spreading “misinformation,” utilising the Cyber and Data Security Act in an effort to contain the narrative.
Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa downplayed reports of internal rifts, dismissing them as “social media hullabaloo.” Addressing journalists after the meeting, he defended the party’s unity, describing Zanu PF as a “structured organisation with longstanding camaraderie.”
“There are always issues people raise, but we assure you, Zanu PF remains strong,” Mutsvangwa stated, asserting that the party has successfully weathered challenges for decades. However, as the 2030 extension debate gathers momentum, questions remain about the party’s future direction and the stability of its leadership.
Source: ZimInd