IN-DEPTH: Mnangagwa trying to outsmart political opponents with body sway so that they blink

By all accounts, the news that President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa is not going to seek Constitutional amendment to allow him to remain in office beyond 2028 has been received by mixed feelings.

Mnangagwa said he is a trained lawyer and a constitutionalist, and wouldn’t want to be known for breaking the country’s Supreme Law.

However, others are of the opinion that Mnangagwa should never be trusted, saying he has exhibited deceitful traits. As indicated in his charge sheet when he was fired by late former President Robert Gabriel Mugabe in 2017, before he bounced back to grab power through a military coup.

Renowned political analyst Elder Mabhunu says should Mnangagwa indeed drop his long cherished idea of going beyond his term limit, it could be out of pressure, especially from within his party, ZANU PF.

He says the danger in Mnangagwa’s statement that he will follow the Constitution, is that he may cause amendments in parliament since he enjoys the required two thirds majority.

“Once this has been achieved he will hang on using the amended Constitution and rightly claim to be a constitutionalist.

“Mnangagwa caused the recalling of opposition legislators through the hand of Sengezo Tshabangu so that he could control the National Assembly to meet his selfish plans.

“He knew his plan from the word go, and would be crazy to work so hard for the two thirds majority in parliament and not to use it,” he says.

Mabhunu adds that if Mnangagwa is to step down in 2028, that should be attributed to internal pressure within his party.

Another prominent analyst Dr Pedzisai Ruhanya says Mnangagwa could be lying so that he could beat those opposing his idea with body swave.

“This is the second time the President has said this publicly but his key people in the provinces continue to push on for this undesirable term extension.

“Could this be a reverse strategy to make your enemies blink.

Ali Naka concurs saying without pressure, Mnangagwa will not step down.

“They will leave office in the Spiritual Realm. They are not going anywhere without being chased,” he says.

Others say he would appoint a stooge to safeguard his interests.

Majaira Jairosi says: “Yes, if he bows to public pressure Mnangagwa will probably endorse chidhamudhamu chakaita sa Owen Ncube, supported by his children including Sean who will head the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.

Owen Ncube is part of the Mafidi Dynasty, chinenge chimubvandiripo.

“Here is the copybook. The thing is Mnangagwa truly believes that Zimbabweans are stupid dunderheads who can’t read between the lines.

“Indeed, he will simply say my people forced me, munomuita sei? now that he knows Zimbabweans are docile & wouldn’t even protest.

“I cringe when I hear Mnangagwa lying through his teeth. Just recently ZanuPF Harare Province appealed to relevant authorities to start making the necessary constitutional amendments to allow him to continue in charge of the country beyond 2028. Why didn’t he ask them to shut up.”

Others say having faith in Mnangagwa’s leadership is equivalent to accepting falsehoods adding that grip on power is so tight that he would only consider relinquishing it to a family member, such as his wife or son, revealing a clear desire for dynastic.

According to them ED plays a long game and these retirement announcements maybe a way to flash out rivals within Zanu so that his preferred candidates or rather the Murambwi dynasty may take over power without resistance.

Another prominent political commentator Brighton Mutebuka says:

“We can’t take this seriously until party officials & organs clamouring for such are officially reprimanded & the processes exploring this are brought to a shuddering halt. Even then, that’s just the start of the journey towards restoring credibility on this matter.

“People aren’t insane. His statements are regularly undermined by chants, slogans, etc made by his lieutenants agitating for the very opposite of what he’s saying. Recently, @ZANUPF_Official published a “political timetable” on it’s X handle setting out the official steps needed.”

Be that as it may, Mnangagwa’s grand plan is not without huddles while the constitutional challenge is what could have been chief among them, it is the one which he can easily sidestep using the captured parliament.

Initially, Mnangagwa’s political plan was to try to go for a third term, but that is complicated because of the constitutional mechanisms involved, which require a referendum to remove term limits and a provision that such changes would not benefit an incumbent anyway.

This can be dealt with using a captured National Assembly as indicated above

Apparently, plan B is for him to amend the constitution, not to go for a third term, to stay two more years until 2030 under the pretense of electoral reforms and finishing development projects.

The other hunddle which is giving him sleepless nights is internal opposition as bigwigs impatiently wait for their turn.

Indicators suggest that Mnangagwa is succumbing to internal pressure mainly from the military-backed Zanu PF faction led by Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, which wants him to abide by the constitution to retire at the end of his second term or even go before 2028.

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