ZANU-PF Endorses Mnangagwa for Leadership Beyond 2028

The ZANU-PF party in Zimbabwe has officially endorsed President Emmerson Mnangagwa to continue as its leader beyond 2028. This decision was made during a party conference held in Chinhoyi.

President Mnangagwa, who is 84 years old, is seeking to extend his tenure amid ongoing internal divisions within the party regarding succession plans. In July, he signed constitutional amendments that extended presidential terms from five to seven years, postponed the next presidential election from 2028 to 2030, and changed the electoral process from direct presidential elections to a parliamentary vote.

These amendments have faced criticism from various opposition figures, civil society groups, and human rights organizations. Within ZANU-PF, there is a faction advocating for Mnangagwa to remain in power until 2030, while another faction is reportedly positioning former army general Constantino Chiwenga as a potential successor.

Chiwenga was instrumental in the military coup that removed former President Robert Mugabe in 2017.