ZANU PF factionalism spilled to the National Heroes Acre after it emerged that some senior party officials allegedly mobilised supporters to snub the burial of three national heroes to project Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, who was presiding over the burials, as unpopular.
Chiwenga presided over the burial of Chenhamo Chakezha Chimutingwende, Retired Major-General Solomon Siziba and ambassador John Mvundura in the absence of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is on annual leave.
Chiwenga, in his address, called for peace and unity in the party as he emphasised the need to embrace transformative politics.
“Our struggle for independence was founded on the values of unity and love. These are timeless and ageless values which we must pass on to those who come after us,” he said.
“Despite divergent political views, we should always remember that we are one people who should be guided by the ethic of transformative politics where tolerance, forgiveness and Ubuntu take precedence in our quest to build a prosperous, secure and stable Zimbabwe that we will continue to be patriotically proud of.”
Chiwenga is believed to be the frontrunner in the succession race, but some party officials are pushing for the presidential term limit to be extended from 2028 to 2030.
Mnangagwa has repeatedly said he does not intend to extend his term of office beyond 2028. Information minister Jenfan Muswere on Wednesday issued a statement saying there was nothing criminal about party members expressing their views on the ED2030 agenda.
Muswere said the Constitution would be followed in any attempts to extend the presidential term limit.
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NewsDay is, however, reliably informed that some officials were mobilising members not to attend the burial to project Chiwenga as less popular and unfit to take over from Mnangagwa.
Well-placed sources within Zanu PF cited officials such as Harare provincial chairperson Godwills Masimirembwa, who is on the forefront mobilising for Mnangagwa’s presidential term extension, for allegedly influencing supporters to snub the triple burial.
According to insiders, the transport for the party supporters was delayed.
“Previously, meetings would be held zone by zone, with the commissariat mobilising party supporters to attend, but that was not done this time. Only a letter was dispatched to zones encouraging people to attend,” a party insider said.
“We don’t know why buses were collected late. What we know is Masimirembwa and team were encouraging supporters to sabotage Chiwenga because they desperately want Mnangagwa’s term of office to be extended.”
Masimirembwa was not picking calls when NewsDay cried to reach him for comment on Wednesday and yesterday.
At the national shrine, Zanu PF activists went into a frenzy when Chiwenga arrived forcing the party’s affiliate group, Young Women4ED, wielding pro-2030 agenda placards, to sit down after being outnumbered.
The Young Women4ED were carrying banners and placards inscribed: “ED2030 Munenge Muchipo Shumba.”
The late former President Robert Mugabe was ousted in a November 2017 coup after he failed to manage his succession.
