Zimbabwe's Ruling Party Rocked: Zanu PF Meeting Canceled Amid Mnangagwa-Chiwenga Constitution Clash

A highly anticipated meeting of the ruling Zanu PF party was abruptly cancelled on Friday, an event that has drawn significant attention due to escalating internal tensions. The meeting's primary objective was to address the crucial task of aligning the Zanu PF constitution with Constitutional Amendment Act No. 3 of the national supreme law. This alignment is a critical preparatory step for the party's upcoming annual conference, scheduled to take place from October 12-17 at Chinhoyi University of Technology in Mashonaland West Province.

Party officials offered varied explanations for the sudden cancellation. Zanu PF spokesperson Chris Mutsvangwa attributed it to "a clash or an overflow of programmes," while Farai Marapira, the party's Director for Information and Publicity, similarly stated it was due to "a clash of programmes; but nothing serious." Despite the cancellation, a press conference was still expected to be held later that Friday at Spirit Embassy: The Goodnews Church in Braeside, Harare, with figures such as annual conference fund-raiser Phillip Chiyangwa slated to address journalists.

However, the cancellation appears to underscore a deeper, more significant dispute within the party, particularly concerning President Mnangagwa and Vice President Chiwenga. The core of this conflict revolves around efforts by Mnangagwa and his allies to revise the party constitution. These revisions are intended to bring it into line with recent national constitutional changes that have extended the presidential term and altered elements of the electoral system. This move is perceived by Chiwenga and his supporters, who draw significant backing from military and war veteran structures, as an attempt to prolong Mnangagwa's tenure beyond 2028, potentially to 2030, and to manipulate the party's succession dynamics.

A senior party official described the atmosphere within Zanu PF as tense, indicating that the struggle over constitutional alignment is intensifying. The conflict has noticeably escalated in recent weeks, highlighted by Chiwenga's reported boycott of the funeral for businessman Wicknell Chivayo, a prominent figure known to be close to President Mnangagwa. Zanu PF members were observed arriving at the party headquarters earlier on Friday afternoon, only for the meeting to be called off, leaving many uncertain.

This current state of affairs has prompted comparisons within party circles to the significant internal tensions and leadership struggles that characterized the period preceding the major leadership change in 2017. The implications of this constitutional dispute for the party's future and its leadership succession remain a central and contentious issue.