Critics have labelled the agenda being pushed by a Zanu-PF faction to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term of office, a “malnourished” plan driven by “patronage”.
This comes after a recent statement by Zanu-PF Manicaland East Provincial Chairman and Minister of Local Government Daniel Garwe, where he claimed that Mnangagwa will be in office in 2030 either by ‘hook or crook’ sparked controversy.
According to Garwe, the ED 2030 agenda is a key resolution that the provincial chairman must push.
“The resolution that you want very much, we are driving it. The resolution number one is “vision 2030 vaMnangagwa vanenge vachipo. It’s the job of all provincial chairmen to push it,” he said.
Garwe also hinted at the ruling party’s determination to achieve its goals, stating, “There are so many ways of skinning an elephant. You can start from the trunk or the tail. It’s all skinning.”
He added: “So, what you have said is that we have to go for a referendum or two-thirds majority is one of many ways that are before us which we can exploit. But this is not the time to go into those details.”
However, pro-democracy activist Nixon Nyikadzino has raised concerns about the agenda’s constitutionality, particularly regarding presidential term limits.
Nyikadzino warned that if the ruling party succeeds in pushing through the agenda, it would be a “coup in a coup” and a significant threat to Zimbabwe’s democratic gains.
“This is a malnourished agenda and patronage on steroids.
“I’m quite convinced that those who are pushing for the ED 2030 Agenda are not aware of the Constitutional provisions regarding the extension of the term of office beyond the two terms,” Nyikadzino stated during an interview with Nehanda Radio.
“Let it be dreams and dreams because in a clear Zimbabwe, this won’t happen. But if it so happens by hook and crook as he claims, that will be another coup in a coup particularly to the opposition and it will be an important time to test the real mass power of the opposition in terms of defending the little democratic gains that we have benefitted in the past years through our fight for democracy in Zimbabwe.
“So, it remains to be seen whether the opposition will come together in order to consolidate the democratic gains and make use of them in defending the Constitution that we wrote as Zimbabweans without the influence of anybody.
“So, these people, to me, are showing the highest level madness and the level of patronage and trying to defend the loot through kleptocracy that have been promoted by Zanu-PF through the incumbent, President Emmerson Mnangagwa.”
Former Finance Minister Tendai Biti recently weighed in on the issue, stating that the biggest fight facing Zimbabwe in 2025 is the “unlawful unconstitutional attempts …..”
Biti warned that the ruling party will stop at nothing to achieve its goals.
“The biggest fight we face in 2025 is the unlawful unconstitutional attempts to force march an extension of the Presidential Term Limit.
“They will pull no stops to achieve this nefarious agenda. We have to be ready to say no to fascism and authoritarian consolidation,” the outspoken former MP said.
Although President Mnangagwa has consistently stated that he has no plans to remain in office beyond 2028, his failure to stop his supporters from advocating for his extended rule has raised suspicions about his sincerity.
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, considered the frontrunner to replace Mnangagwa, is reportedly prepared to resist any attempts to extend the Zanu-PF leader’s term limit, leading to massive factionalism that threatens to tear the party apart.
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