ZANU PF politburo member Ziyambi Ziyambi has jumped to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s defence amid growing calls, from within the party, for him to rip apart Zimbabwe’s constitution and extend his term to 2030.
Ziyambi, who was speaking to ruling party members in Mashonaland West province said the calls should not be associated with Mnangagwa but with the entire Zanu PF which wants him to stay.
He said they were the ones pushing for extension and constitutional amendments necessary to ensure Mnangagwa possibly replicates late President Robert Mugabe’s lengthy stay in office.
Ziyambi becomes the third top official in both government and Zanu PF to jump to Mnangagwa’s defence in recent days as factional battles within the ruling party heat up.
“At no time did President Mnangagwa say he wants this or that, about the issue of 2030,” said Ziyambi.
“It is us as the people and general membership of Zanu PF who expressed our desire about what we want him to do.
“Now if you hear someone saying anything about our President that he has done this or he intends to do that, tell them that it is not him, but it is us as the people and as Zanu PF. He is not in the equation or this discourse.”
Ziyambi’s comment comes days after Information Minister Jenfan Muswere said the same in a statement released hours after Mnangagwa’s spokesperson George Charamba shared similar sentiments.
Both are regarded as Mnangagwa loyalists.
“The politically broad-based call to extend the Presidential term of office beyond 2028 remains a rightful and unquestionable obligation for Parliament, the Party of Zimbabwe’s permanent national democratic revolution -ZANU PF and other legitimate political stakeholders to this matter,” said Muswere in a statement.
Those loyal to Mnangagwa’s deputy Constantino Chiwenga are reportedly grouping to ensure the former does not extend his term.
He needs to amend the Constitution twice so as to entertain hopes of hanging on.
Charamba said Mnangagwa as President will not tamper with views expressed by people as that right was enshrined in Zimbabwe’s constitution.
His comments came after local daily newspaper NewsDay carried a story on leaders of the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations (ZHOCD) urging Mnangagwa to respect the 2013 constitution and step aside in 2028 when his second term ends.
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“The designated role of the President of Zimbabwe in such situations is not to tamper with expressions of viewpoints from the citizenry; rather, it is to allow those viewpoints free play for as long as they remain within the remit of our Constitution,” said Charamba.
Mnangagwa’s home province, Masvingo, was the first to urge him to hang on before other provinces and leagues jumped onto the bandwagon.
Despite distancing himself at the party’s last People’s Conference, Mnangagwa’s allies have continued to push for the move.
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Source link : https://allafrica.com/stories/202501240142.html
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Publish date : 2025-01-24 08:16:24
