Emmerson Mnangagwa’s desperate grip on power has finally met its match. The long-rumoured push for a third term has been stopped in its tracks after a silent but firm rebellion from Vice President Constantino Chiwenga and the military. What was once a noisy campaign to keep Mnangagwa in office until 2030 has now fallen flat, publicly humiliated at the National Youth Day Commemorations in Bulawayo. The event sent a message louder than any slogan. For the first time in months, there were no chants of “2030 ndeya Emmerson” no songs or dances pushing for Mnangagwa’s continued rule. Instead there was a heavy silence and the calm presence of Chiwenga and his wife painted a picture of quiet confidence that said more than words ever could.
This shift was not just symbolic. A few days before the event military vehicles rolled through the streets of Harare in a chilling reminder of who really holds power in Zimbabwe. Armoured vehicles moved in broad daylight leaving little doubt that the army is done playing second fiddle. A military insider put it bluntly. The army’s opposition to Mnangagwa’s third term is unequivocal. They want him gone by 2028 and they mean business. This is not about internal party debates or cabinet reshuffles. It is about raw power and the clear signal is that Mnangagwa’s time is up.
Mnangagwa has tried to act like he was never part of the 2030 agenda. He has made statements claiming he will retire at the end of his second term but nobody bought it. The 2030 campaign had grown legs and gained momentum with banners slogans and loyalists pushing the narrative hard across Zanu PF structures. But now the silence from his supporters shows they are abandoning ship. The same people who once cheered him on are now choosing self-preservation over blind loyalty. With the army making its position clear nobody wants to be caught on the wrong side of history.
Perhaps the most damning blow has come from the war veterans. Once Mnangagwa’s biggest allies they are now demanding his immediate resignation. Calling him a failed leader they have joined the chorus of those who believe his leadership has done more harm than good. In Zimbabwean politics war veterans carry enormous weight and their betrayal is a sign that Mnangagwa’s foundation is crumbling from within.
What is unfolding is not just the collapse of a third term campaign. It is a dramatic shift in the centre of power within Zanu PF. Chiwenga once seen as the quiet second in command is now rising as the de facto leader of the ruling party’s future. His military background gives him the strength to command loyalty and his silence has proven more powerful than any speech Mnangagwa could deliver. It is clear that Chiwenga has played his cards well using patience and quiet influence to allow Mnangagwa to self-destruct.
This is the slow death of a presidency. Not through elections not through the courts but through the calculated retreat of support from every corner of power that once stood behind Mnangagwa. From war veterans to military generals and even the party base that once screamed his name all signs point to a regime in its final chapter. The silence in Bulawayo was not just about the absence of chants. It was the sound of a political obituary being written in real time.
Mnangagwa’s dream of ruling until 2030 is dead. The man who once walked with the confidence of a king is now reduced to defending himself against a campaign he once secretly supported. Zimbabwe is watching closely. A new political order is emerging and whether it brings real change or simply new faces in old systems one thing is clear. Mnangagwa is no longer in control.
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