ZANU-PF SUCCESSION POLITICS: IS MNANGAGWA BUYING TIME TO BLOCK CHIWENGA?

The recently held ZANU-PF conference in Chinhoyi has brought renewed attention to the party’s succession politics, particularly following proposals to amend the party constitution to align it with Zimbabwe’s recently amended national Constitution, as well as proposals to move the party’s congress from 2027 to 2029.

These developments raise a fundamental political question: **Is President Emmerson Mnangagwa creating more time to prevent his deputy, Constantino Chiwenga, from taking over the leadership of ZANU-PF?

Under the current political arrangements, the 2027 congress was expected to be a critical moment in determining the party’s leadership and succession trajectory. Pushing the congress to 2029, if formally adopted and implemented, could significantly alter the political timetable and give Mnangagwa’s camp more time to shape the party’s future.

For Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, this could mean a longer wait and a more complicated path to the presidency of the party. Although holding the position of Vice President may appear to place him in a strong position, ZANU-PF’s succession politics have repeatedly demonstrated that seniority alone does not guarantee the ultimate prize.

There have also been reports and speculation that Mnangagwa may be grooming or favouring another candidate to succeed him, rather than allowing Chiwenga to inherit the party leadership. If these suspicions prove correct, the proposed constitutional changes and the postponement of the congress could become important instruments in that political strategy.

However, it is important to distinguish between political interpretation and established fact. The proposed changes do not, by themselves, prove that Mnangagwa is deliberately blocking Chiwenga. What they do is raise serious questions about the timing, motivation and political consequences of the proposed changes.

**The central question is no longer simply who will succeed Mnangagwa, but whether the succession process will be determined by established party rules or reshaped to serve the interests of particular political factions.

Zimbabweans have a right to ask these questions. Leadership succession is not merely an internal ZANU-PF matter when its outcome has far-reaching implications for the country’s political direction, governance and future.

-Alfa mthambisi