From Lacoste vs G40 to Mnangagwa vs Chiwenga — Zanu PF’S succession war enters new phase
Zimbabwe’s current political tensions between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga mirror the bitter factional battles that led to Robert Mugabe’s removal in 2017, according to the article.
The article traces Zanu PF’s internal power struggles from the 2004 Tsholotsho affair and the 2014 purge of Joice Mujuru to the 2017 showdown between Mnangagwa’s Lacoste faction and Grace Mugabe’s G40 faction.
It argues that G40’s downfall demonstrated that political influence and access to the president are not enough to guarantee power without support from the military and party structures.
The same battle for political survival is now unfolding between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga. Mnangagwa’s camp is pushing constitutional changes that extend presidential terms from five to seven years, replace direct presidential elections with parliamentary selection, and potentially delay Zanu PF’s elective congress from 2027 to 2029.
Chiwenga has challenged attempts to manipulate party rules to extend the president’s stay in office, invoking constitutional protections against an incumbent benefiting from term extensions.
Although Mnangagwa commands significant state power and has reshuffled key military and party positions, Chiwenga reportedly retains influence among liberation-era figures, party traditionalists and sections of the security establishment.
The article identifies three major lessons from Zanu PF’s history: political patronage does not guarantee permanent control, purging rivals can create powerful opposition alliances, and constitutional changes designed to secure personal power can eventually backfire.
It warns that the escalating succession battle could destabilise the ruling party, undermine constitutionalism, discourage investment and distract the government from addressing the country’s economic challenges.
The central argument: Mnangagwa may have secured a tactical advantage at the Chinhoyi conference, but his efforts to extend his political influence could push Chiwenga and other disgruntled factions into a stronger alliance, setting the stage for an even bigger confrontation. *_-Bulawayo24_*
