President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa yesterday sought to extinguish factional fires in Zanu PF following a spirited bid by his loyalists to amend the Constitution and extend his tenure beyond 2028.
Mnangagwa, who is serving his second and last term, called on his lieutenants to respect the Constitution.
Addressing the 378th ordinary session of the politburo, Mnangagwa said Zanu PF was a constitutional entity.
“Further, each and every one of us, here in the politburo and, indeed, all members have a sacrosanct constitutional obligation to uphold the unique character, principles and nature of our party, Zanu PF,” he said.
Mnangagwa celebrated his 82nd birthday dubbed Munhumutapa Day recently in Masvingo, where party functionaries fell over each other bootlicking him, while “strategically” pleading with him to extend his tenure.
“Accordingly, I challenge the party to resolutely oppose statements and actions that undermine or distort our correct line of the revolution,” he said yesterday.
“All moves to damage the interests of the people of our great motherland, tamper with our unity, social harmony, development interest, sovereignty, security and overall national stability should be decisively dealt with.”
Mnangagwa called on party structures to act boldly against anything that erodes, weakens or undermines the party’s unity. “Unruly elements, who are abusing various media platforms to cause alarm and despondency, while also sowing disunity and advancing misguided, nefarious political agendas within the country and party, stand warned.”
Mnangagwa has thrice said he is a constitutionalist hence would not tamper with the supreme law of the country to extend his stay in office.
Despite Mnangagwa’s rebuttal of the third-term bid, movers of the unlawful proposition, coalesced around the ED2030 slogan, have upped the ante. Mnangagwa also spoke about the economic chaos in the country and blamed it on unnamed saboteurs.
“Acts of economic sabotage, speculative and counter-productive tendencies by those who thrive on greed and profiteering have no place in our country,” he said. “Attacks on the economy to make the public suffer are unacceptable and my government will protect the ordinary people.”
Newsday
