ED forces ministers to back 3rd third term bid

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…and to scorn his deputy Chiwenga

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is forcing his Ministers to publicly declare their allegiance to his plan of amending the Constitution’s two-term presidential limits and allow himself to run for a third-term, an arrangement that his deputy Constantino Chiwenga is fiercely ready to resist.

Analysts and observers are now putting much attention to the newly introduced Zanu-PF slogan “2030 vaMnangagwa vanenge vachipo” (loosely translated as ‘2030 Mnangagwa will still be president’).

The slogan started with Zanu PF youths and politburo members who chanted it at a youth day event in Masvingo before the video quickly circulated online.

Mnangagwa, who once dismissed claims that he wants to extend his term in office, has since accepted the slogan as evidenced by the recent rally in Mashonaland East where he forced all his Ministers to shout the Zanu-PF slogan which included the latest verse, “2030 vaMnangagwa vanenge vachipo”.

After chanting the controversial slogan, other Ministers like Angeline Gata, who is Mnangagwa’s niece, were just dramatic. She would shout, “pasi nemutinya sando.” Others would say, “pasi nenhubu.”

Mnangagwa’s unpopular ambition to stay in power beyond the Constitutional limits has caused division in the ruling party with Chiwenga and his allies, who include senior Zanu-PF politicians and military personnel allegedly planning to resist it.

Nehanda Radio understands that Mnangagwa is already consolidating power within Zanu-PF by suspending internal elections and restructuring cell structures countrywide.

The move is seen as a bid to eliminate opposition within the party and pave the way for a potential term extension.

According to sources within Zanu-PF, the cell structures are the backbone of Zanu-PF, and by re-organising them, Mnangagwa can ensure loyalists are in key positions and potential challengers are sidelined.

Mike Bimha, a politburo member, this week said the restructuring exercise aims to dismantle existing cell structures and set up new ones that are more party-centric rather than aligned to individuals.

He said the new cell structures will have no limits on membership and will focus on growing the party’s membership base.

A Nehanda Radio source, however, believes that the move is a strategic step by Mnangagwa to prepare the party for future elections and potentially pave the way for a term extension.

The source noted that the restructuring exercise started with the politburo, where key positions were reshuffled, aiming to eliminate opposition within the party.

The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition recently condemned proposed constitutional amendments that would allow Mnangagwa to run for a third-term. The coalition stated that a Constitution should be sacred and binding, not tampered with for personal interests.

“Lately, calls by the ruling party to push for amendments that will remove the two-term presidential limits and allow President Emmerson Mnangagwa to run for a third term are illegal and unfortunate and derail the gains made since the adoption of the constitution.

“These amendments, which also seek to introduce draconian legislation and further close the democratic and civic space, are stripping Zimbabweans of their fundamental rights and derailing the progress made since the constitution was first established.

“The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition reiterates that a constitution should be a sacred, living, and binding document regardless of who is in power.

“Tampering with the constitution by political elites to serve personal interests erodes democratic values and signals a betrayal of the constitution, which was overwhelmingly voted for by the citizens of Zimbabwe,” the organisation stated.