ZANU PF Midlands and Masvingo provincial structures are reportedly plotting protests against a known critic of President Emmerson Mnangagwa for campaigning against a plan to extend presidential term limits.
Mnangagwa’s loyalists, especially in Midlands and Masvingo, want the Constitution amended to ensure the country’s leader extends his term of office to 2030 and beyond.
According to the Constitution, Mnangagwa’s term is expected to end in 2028.
Mnangagwa has on three occasions said he will retire at the end of his constitutionally-mandadted two terms.
Even if the Constitution is to be amended, the supreme law of the land states that an office bearer cannot be a beneficiary of an amended statute.
Mnangagwa’s opponents, including those in the ruling party, have cast doubt that he is genuine in his pledge to retire, citing public and behind-the-scenes moves in support of the 2030 agenda.
Suspended Children of War Veterans Association of Zimbabwe (COZWA) leader Munyaradzi Shoko, has rallied Mnangagwa’s critics to oppose the 2030 agenda, courting angry reactions from the ruling party.
Shoko, who was expelled from Zanu PF, yesterday said he feared for his life over his anti-2030 agenda.
A Zanu PF member in Midlands, Chaplain Chirume, yesterday confirmed that they were organising protests against Shoko.
Party members have started distributing posters with contact details of Chirume, who is said to be organising the protests.
“We are against those attacking our party and our President,” Chirume said.
“Our leader is President Emmerson Mnangagwa until 2030, that is when we are going to start to talk about succession . . .”
Asked about the dates of the protests, he said: “We are still consulting the relevant authorities about the protests.”
Zanu PF director for information Farai Marapira yesterday said the ruling party only had one centre of power.
“He (Shoko) is not a member of the party,” Marapira said.
“He is not supposed to talk about our own internal issues. We only have one leader and centre of power and that is only President Emmerson Mnangagwa.”
Shoko yesterday accused Zanu PF of trying to violate the Constitution by extending Mnangagwa’s term beyond 2030.
“As the children of war veterans, we are the vanguard of morals and ethics of the war of liberation struggle,” he said.
“It is our right to front the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
“2030 is not a Zanu PF thing, but it is now of national interest because it is the Constitution which is being violated. It was agreed in 2013 that there is no room to violate the Constitution. President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his party must not be allowed to violate the Constitution.”
Added Shoko: “At the moment, my life is in danger as I have been critical of this 2030 agenda, but I will not stop as we have a right to freedom of speech.”
The 2030 agenda has sparked serious divisions in the ruling party.
Zanu PF’s recent cell restructuring exercise also exposed a rift between Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga, where their loyalists sought to control the structures.
When he assumed power in November 2017 in a military coup that toppled the late former President Robert Mugabe, Mnangagwa pledged to be a constitutionalist.
Zanu PF is set to hold its annual conference next week in Bulawayo amid indications that the succession debate is set to dominate proceedings.