ZANU PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa has revealed that the push to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s tenure beyond the constitutionally-mandated two terms was in response to external forces that wanted him out of power.
Addressing journalists after the Zanu PF 21st Annual National People’s Conference in Bulawayo on Saturday, Mutsvangwa said a slogan indicating that Mnangagwa would remain in office until 2030 was a reaction to efforts to push the president out of office.
Mutsvangwa, however, did not name the external forces baying for Mnangagwa’s blood.
He said party supporters were outraged that outside forces were trying to force a leadership change within Zanu PF.
“They failed leadership change in the country and are now trying to do leadership change within Zanu PF. If you do that you raise the ire of Zanu PF members.
“How do I say I want to work under a different Constitution from the one I was elected into power, you will be refusing your foundation, why will he then abrogate that Constitution which has given him power, he is doing well and wonders under that Constitution and he is happy,” Mutsvangwa said.
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He said the ED2030 slogan was a reaction to forces trying to steal the agenda of the party by trying to force leadership change within the party.
“Zanu PF is a party with a pan-African mission to deliver prosperity to Africa. It is always attacked by those who want to unfairly profit on the riches of Africa.
“There are forces who wanted change to have happened under this room here in Bulawayo when we were just coming from an election.
“For the past six decades they were trying to make sure that they arrest him during his second term. Those are the people who wanted to push an agenda in the party, the party membership reacted to say they want him because he is doing a good job,” Mutsvangwa said
He said the external forces wanted to turn Mnangagwa into a lameduck leader, but they had hit a brickwall and Zanu PF had seized the opportunity to reiterate their support for the president.
Mutsvangwa said the outside forces will always want to determine the party’s agenda.