HARARE – Sybeth Musengezi, a Zanu-PF youth who challenged President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s legitimacy following the 2017 coup, has pledged his support for Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.
This comes amid reports that Zanu-PF is planning to sideline the former Army General, who is a critical stumbling block against plans to extend Mnangagwa’s term of office beyond 2028. Chiwenga is believed to be a frontrunner to succeed the Zanu-PF leader.
Musengezi believes that Chiwenga sacrificed a lot when he led the military to overthrow the late former President Robert in November 2017 before giving Mnangagwa power on a silver platter.
The brave Zanu-PF youth pledged to stand with Chiwenga during the ongoing factionalism in Zanu-PF.
“We supported (Nelson) Chamisa on August 23 as a matter of principle. If it’s true that VP Chiwenga is no longer wanted in Zanu-PF, we’ll fully support him as a matter of principle also.
“These idiots are forgetting that he sacrificed his life in 2017 for Mnangagwa to be where he is now,” Musengezi posted on his Facebook handle.
Mnangagwa’s allies last week made it clear that they were initiating the process to amend the Constitution to enable him to exceed the constitutionally-mandated two terms when his tenure ends in 2028.
Zanu PF Harare provincial chairperson Godwills Masimirembwa told journalists last Saturday:
“The most pressing issue is that the Constitution of Zimbabwe needs to be amended to allow him to remain in power beyond 2028. We are aware of the constitutional restrictions; it currently states that the President can serve a maximum of two terms, each lasting five years.”
He added: “There is a possibility of either extending the duration of each term, increasing the term limit from two terms to three or removing the term limit entirely.”
Despite Mnangagwa’s public declaration that he will not seek re-election, his sincerity is being questioned due to his failure to restrain his supporters.
It is, further, believed that several senior Zanu-PF officials, including former party political commissar Mike Bimha, are opposed to the notion of extending Mnangagwa’s term in office. This has consequently created a fertile ground for factionalism within the ruling party.
