HARARE – Tinoda Machakaire, the Minister of Youth, who is one of the leading Zanu-PF leaders pushing for the unpopular and controversial plan to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term of office beyond the constitutionally mandated two terms, has donated a haulage truck to the party leader as a birthday present.
The President turned 82 on Sunday. Celebrations were held on the same day at Great Zimbabwe Monuments in Masvingo on the day dubbed Munhumutapa Day Celebrations.
Machakaire who is also a Zanu-PF Politburo member and National Secretary for the Youth League, gifted Mnangagwa a Shacman haulage truck at State House on Tuesday morning. The vehicle will be used at the President’s Pricabe Farm Kwekwe.
Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana confirmed the development.
“Today, HE President Mnangagwa received a Shacman haulage truck, his birthday present from Minister Machakaire at the State House.
“Hon Machakaire highlighted that the gift is meant to aid farming activities at President Mnangagwa’s Pricabe Farm,” he said.
Machakaire is a leading advocate of the plan to extend Mnangagwa’s rule beyond 2028. He represents a Zanu-PF faction of Mnangagwa’s loyalists. The faction includes but is not limited to Housing Minister Daniel Garwe and Midlands Provincial Minister Owen “Mudha” Ncube.
Opposed to this plan, is Vice President Constantino Chiwenga and his camp that comprises senior Zanu-PF leaders including war veterans.
Machakaire and his group are known for publicly chanting the “2030 vaMnangagwa vanenge vachipo” slogan which can be loosely translated to Mnangagwa will still be around in 2030.
The controversial businessman defended his actions by telling several Zanu-PF rallies that stand with the President because he is his appointee.
On several occasions, including when he was addressing international media in China recently, Mnangagwa, insincerely said he was not going to seek another term.
But the President has continuously failed to restrain his supporters from advocating for a plan that will involve subverting critical provisions of the Constitution.
Two days ago, at Mnangagwa’s birthday celebrations in Masvingo, Vice President Kembo Mohadi chanted the same slogan in front of thousands of party supporters. As usual, Chiwenga avoided the slogan, registering his public disregard of the plan to extend Mnangagwa’s power.
Chiwenga is believed to be the front runner in the race to succeed Mnangagwa. The former Army General allegedly commands a significant influence of senior Zanu-PF officials who are opposed to the plan that Machakaire and his colleagues are pushing for.
Recently, Chiwenga unequivocally told his enemies in the party that their loyalty should be to the party, rather than to individuals.
“There is no room for factionalism at any level in the party,” he said.
“A party cannot be undermined by being defined in the confines of individuals. I repeat, no factionalism in the party, we are one and shall remain one, hapana kuti uyu ndinomuda uyu handimude, tiri tese ka?
“Our loyalty is not to individuals but to the bigger agenda which is larger than us, that of the party and the people of Zimbabwe who are supreme, it is the party, it is the people of Zimbabwe who are supreme not inini saChiwenga, I will come and go,” Chiwenga added.
