
HARARE – The push to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term beyond 2028 has sparked resistance within ZANU-PF, with war veterans calling for his resignation in a move that has deepened factional divisions within the ruling party.
Despite Mnangagwa reaffirming his intention to step down at the end of his second and final term, loyalists have been rallying support for an extension to 2030, holding weekly meetings to promote the agenda. However, opposition to the move intensified after war veterans publicly denounced the proposal over the weekend.
On Sunday and Monday, war veterans expressed strong opposition to the proposed extension, with ZANU-PF Central Committee member Blessed Geza going as far as calling on Mnangagwa to step down.
The statements have further exposed growing fractures within the ruling party, with Acting President Constantino Chiwenga appearing to capitalize on the discord. On Monday, during a speech at the National Heroes Acre, Chiwenga denounced corruption while being cheered on by a crowd chanting his name—an indication of his growing support in the succession race.
Senior ZANU-PF members have acknowledged that the battle lines over the 2030 agenda have been drawn.
“This is a rallying call for all war veterans and Zimbabweans to wise up to what is happening in the country. This signals the demise or the end of the road for the Mnangagwa administration,” a senior party official told NewsDay.
“The President will try to resist and do all he can for now, but the die has been cast. The position of the war veterans often reflects the views of the broader party membership, and what they are saying is exactly what many within ZANU-PF believe.”
The cheers for Chiwenga at Heroes Acre, which came just a day after Geza’s remarks, were viewed as further evidence of opposition to the 2030 agenda.
“Chiwenga was essentially reinforcing the statement made by the war veterans when he spoke out against corruption. He has managed to dismantle the 2030 agenda in just two days,” the official added.
Political analysts have drawn parallels between the current situation and the events leading up to the removal of former President Robert Mugabe in 2017.
Eldred Masunungure, a political analyst, warned that tensions within ZANU-PF were reaching a tipping point ahead of the 2023 elections.
“Anything can happen unless there is an intervention in the form of mediation. There is too much going on, and we are likely seeing a confrontation between the party, the military, and the broader security sector,” Masunungure said.
“This is because war veterans are not only speaking on behalf of ex-combatants but are also representing the interests of the security sector. We are entering troubled times, and without mediation, the situation may escalate.”
Veteran political analyst Ibbo Mandaza echoed similar sentiments, stating that war veterans represent the views of ordinary Zimbabweans.
“The statement by the war veterans resonates with the population at large, as evidenced by the reaction to Chiwenga’s speech at Heroes Acre,” Mandaza said. “There is now widespread consensus that corruption is at an unprecedented level and that impunity within the ruling elite has become unbearable. As a result, the war veterans are likely to receive broad support across the country.”
Information Minister Jenfan Muswere has downplayed the rift, stating that there is nothing unlawful about either supporting or opposing the 2030 agenda.
Meanwhile, ZANU-PF political commissar Munyaradzi Machacha has previously asserted that party members who oppose the term extension should not face persecution.
However, opposition to the extension has also come from religious leaders, who last week condemned the push to prolong Mnangagwa’s rule. The church stated that extending the presidential term and delaying the 2028 elections would be tantamount to “overthrowing the Constitution,” urging the President to uphold his commitment to democracy.
With factional battles intensifying and internal opposition mounting, ZANU-PF faces a turbulent road ahead as the debate over Mnangagwa’s future continues to unfold.