Once again ZANU PF is plotting to keep Emmerson Mnangagwa in power beyond his second and final term. The public conversation about who will take over in 2030 may have gone quiet but the truth is that the real battle is happening behind closed doors. The Mutare conference scheduled for October is not just another party event. It is a battlefield for democracy itself.
This time Mnangagwa’s loyalists are going in with a clear and dangerous plan. They want to rewrite the constitution so he can stay in power past 2028 and possibly even for life. Last year they managed to push through a resolution at the Bulawayo conference that gave Mnangagwa the option to continue to 2030. Now they want to go further by turning that resolution into actual law. This means the constitution itself would be changed to accommodate one man’s hunger for power.
Patrick Chinamasa and Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi have been tasked with turning this idea into legal reality. Chinamasa was once hesitant but has now jumped on board thanks to pressure from businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei. Tagwirei is one of Mnangagwa’s most powerful backers and is looking to secure his place in the Central Committee. This alliance of political operatives and business elites is determined to keep the current regime in place at all costs.
Mnangagwa claims he is not interested in staying longer than his constitutional term. But no one should be fooled. His silence is approval. His allies would not be taking these bold steps unless they knew he was in full support behind the scenes. Their coordinated actions are proof that the plan is real and moving fast.
What makes this situation even more twisted is that Mnangagwa himself came to power through a coup in 2017. Now he is trying to block Constantino Chiwenga, the very man who helped him rise, from succeeding him. Instead of honouring that alliance, Mnangagwa wants to install his own puppet successor or stay in power himself. This betrayal says everything about how power corrupts.
Daniel Garwe, the Local Government Minister, recently told the media there would be no elections in 2028. He insisted that elections will only happen in 2030 and that the conference in Mutare will ensure the constitution is changed to reflect that. This is not just unconstitutional. It is an insult to every Zimbabwean who has suffered and struggled for the right to vote. Our constitution says elections must be held every five years. Skipping an election is not just illegal. It is a crime against the people.
Garwe even claimed all ten ZANU PF provinces would support pushing elections to 2030. This is a clear sign that the party is afraid of a referendum. They know the people do not support Mnangagwa staying. So instead of asking the nation, they want to use Parliament to sneak in changes that go against the will of the people. Legal experts have rightly called this a silent coup.
The Mutare conference at the Polytechnic College is where this dangerous game will take its next step. Mnangagwa’s inner circle is working overtime to make sure he remains party leader and president beyond 2028. They speak of a “God-ordained vision” for 2030. But this has nothing to do with God or vision. It is pure fear. Fear of losing power. Fear of Chiwenga. Fear of elections. Fear of change.
This is not about development. It is about control. ZANU PF wants to keep looting while ordinary people starve. The constitution must never be bent to please one man. The people must stand up. We must raise our voices. We must defend the soul of our nation. The future of Zimbabwe is not for sale.
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