Zimbabwe is facing the prospect of prolonged political turmoil as calls grow for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to step down over allegations of corruption and economic mismanagement.
The capital Harare and other major cities were largely deserted on Monday as the government deployed police in heavy numbers to thwart a call for protest issued by a rival faction within the ranks of Mnangagwa’s ruling Zanu-PF party.
Authorities said they arrested at least 95 people on charges of promoting public violence, fueling fears of escalating anti-government sentiment and more protests over the coming days.
However, Mnangagwa’s supporters within the ruling party are still dismissing suggestions of any imminent threat to the 82-year-old’s grip on power.
“The president is not facing ouster. What happened was a very loud call for demonstrations on social media which failed to translate to reality,” Farai Marapira, Zanu-PF’s director of information, told Anadolu.
“In fact, as Zanu-PF, our mandate from the people remains the economy, and bread-and-butter issues. We are not distracted. We remain focused on that.”
- Why is there a power struggle within Zanu-PF?
Mnangagwa first took power in 2017 after Robert Mugabe, the former president and his mentor, was ousted in a military coup.
He is currently serving his second and final term in office, which is due to end in 2028, but Zanu-PF announced in January that it was looking to extend Mnangagwa’s rule by two years until 2030.
That declaration has sparked a clear divide within the party, as one faction has sided with Mnangagwa and the other is pushing for Vice President Constantino Chiwenga to replace him.
The faction supporting Chiwenga has received a major boost in recent days as veterans of Zimbabwe’s independence war, who were previously backing Mnangagwa, turned against the president.
One of the prominent figures has been Blessed Geza, a war veteran and member of Zanu-PF.
Geza, also known by his wartime alias Comrade Bombshell, has been leading the calls for Mnangagwa to make way for Chiwenga, garnering massive social media popularity.
He has openly accused Mnangagwa and other top officials of orchestrating corruption schemes and failing to revitalize Zimbabwe’s troubled economy, leading to his expulsion from Zanu-PF and accusations of treason from the government.
As Geza and others supporting Chiwenga vow to continue their efforts to depose Mnangagwa, the president has repeatedly denied that he intends to prolong his tenure, but messaging from his allies suggests otherwise.
He has also taken steps that observers believe are part of a strategy to consolidate power, such as prominent billionaire Kudakwashe Tagwirei’s inclusion in Zanu-PF.
Earlier this week, Tagwirei, a major financial backer of the party and an entrepreneur with expansive interests in energy, mining, and other sectors, was added to the Zanu-PF Central Committee, sparking speculation about him potentially being Chiwenga’s replacement.
Chiwenga’s vocal criticism of corruption involving Mnangagwa’s associates has reportedly strained their relationship.
At an event in January, Chiwenga indirectly targeted Mnangagwa’s allies as he called out corrupt practices: “Our Vision 2030 is for all of us, not those that you call corrupt ‘tenderpreneurs.’”
Despite apparent tensions, both Mnangagwa and Chiwenga have maintained public composure, with the latter so far refusing to comment on the protests or the president’s bid to extend his tenure.
- What next for Mnangagwa and Zimbabwe?
Analyst Rashweat Mukundu emphasized that “premature political maneuvering” surrounding Mnangagwa’s potential third term has fractured Zimbabwe’s ruling party.
“President Mnangagwa either wants to continue beyond 2028, which is constitutionally impossible, or he wants to use this chaos to create a situation where he anoints his preferred candidate, who may not be Vice President Chiwenga,” he explained.
“This is a struggle for the soul of the ruling party.”
He pointed out that Zanu-PF has never experienced a peaceful transfer of power in its over six decades of existence, adding that Mnangagwa has “failed to create a new legacy.”
“That’s something he could do by silencing calls to amend the constitution and extend his tenure,” said Mukundu.
Political observer Mpumelelo Hondo attributes Mnangagwa’s declining popularity to his close associations with controversial business figures.
“I think Mnangagwa’s relationship with dubious individuals like Wicknell Chivayo, who flaunt their wealth amidst widespread poverty, is why he is facing instability within Zanu-PF and possible removal from office,” Hondo told Anadolu.
Chivayo gained notoriety after allegedly failing to deliver on the multimillion-dollar Gwanda Solar Project awarded by the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority. Mnangagwa’s public appearances alongside Chivayo have further tarnished his reputation.
Zivaishe Zhou, a trade unionist and coordinator for the Zimbabwe Agricultural Professionals and Technical Association, cites unfulfilled economic and democratic promises as the key reasons for Mnangagwa’s waning popularity.
“Mnangagwa came to power in 2017, promising democratic and economic reforms. However, many Zimbabweans feel he has reneged on these promises, presiding over an economy characterized by favoritism, cronyism, and corruption, causing significant fallout even within his own party,” Zhou said.
With Zanu-PF’s internal power struggle threatening the country’s political stability, some experts feel Zimbabwe’s powerful military could likely play a decisive role in who comes out on top.
“A closer look at transition politics both at the level of party and state in Zimbabwe reveals the continued conflation between Zanu-PF and the military since independence in 1980,” said political analyst Stanford Nyatsanza.
“It is, therefore, a question of who between the two factions secures the military’s support.”
By Jeffrey Moyo in Harare, Zimbabwe
Anadolu Agency
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