Matabeleland United, a coalition of political parties and civic organisations from the region, has strongly opposed calls for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to extend his presidency beyond 2028.
The coalition accused the ruling party of using Matabeleland as a battleground whenever internal factional disputes arise and vowed to protest if Mnangagwa’s third term is endorsed.
They also urged the ruling party to prioritise economic recovery over political power struggles.
Zanu PF is set to hold its annual conference at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) grounds in Bulawayo from October 22 to 27, 2024.
The conference is expected to serve as a platform to endorse Mnangagwa for another term, which would allow him to remain in office until 2030. Matabeleland United warned that this move has sparked concern across the Matabeleland region and parts of the Midlands.
“The people of Matabeleland and parts of the Midlands are saying Zanu PF must stop using our region as a battleground. It is on record that whenever Zanu PF faces intense factional disputes, it tarnishes the reputation of Matabeleland,” the coalition told journalists in Bulawayo.
The coalition highlighted several incidents where the region became a focal point for Zanu PF’s internal conflicts.
These include the 2017 “ice cream incident” in Gwanda, where Mnangagwa reportedly fell ill after consuming poisoned ice cream, and the bomb attack at a rally in Bulawayo’s White City Stadium in 2018, which resulted in injuries to several party officials and the deaths of two security agents.
“In the same year, Mnangagwa supporters booed the former First Lady, Grace Mugabe, at White City Stadium in Bulawayo. This incident led to Mnangagwa’s expulsion from Zanu PF and the government by his predecessor, Robert Gabriel Mugabe,” the coalition said.
“After taking power through a military-led process in November 2017, another bomb incident occurred at White City Stadium, leaving many Zanu PF officials, including Vice President Kembo Mohadi, in critical condition.”
The coalition argued that these events stemmed from Zanu PF’s internal power struggles and the party’s unclear succession plan.
“With the upcoming Zanu PF annual conference and ongoing factionalism led by President Mnangagwa and his Vice President, Constantino Chiwenga, Mnangagwa’s supporters are pushing for his third term, despite the constitutional two-term limit,” the group stated.
The coalition stated that Zimbabwe’s constitution, particularly Sections 91 and 95, clearly limits the presidency to two terms. They warned that amending these provisions without a referendum would be a serious violation, and vowed not to remain passive if the constitution is undermined.
They also pledged to exercise their right to peaceful protests, invoking Section 59 of the constitution, if Zanu PF endorses Mnangagwa’s third term bid.
“We will invoke Section 59 without fear of reprisal or prosecution, alongside Section 58, which guarantees our right to freedom of assembly and association,” the coalition said.
The coalition further called on Zimbabwe’s security forces to uphold the rule of law and hold Zanu PF delegates accountable if they endorse Mnangagwa’s third term.
“We urge the state security sector to professionally execute their constitutional duties and hold accountable those who support this unconstitutional move. Should the police fail to fulfill their duties, they should not interfere with our peaceful demonstrations,” the group added.
In addition to opposing Mnangagwa’s third term, Matabeleland Coalition urged the president to focus on addressing Zimbabwe’s economic crisis “as a matter of urgency rather than prioritising power struggles.”
The coalition also criticised the government’s introduction of the Zimbabwe Gold (ZIG) currency, accusing it of manipulating exchange rates and failing to stabilise the economy.
“Mnangagwa must urgently dollarise the economy instead of relying on erratic economic policies. Zimbabwe has introduced over six currencies in the past decade, none of which have stabilized the economy,” they said.
“Zimbabwe’s reserves are reported to be at US$370 million, far below the IMF and World Bank guidelines. For comparison, South Africa’s gold and foreign currency reserves exceed US$40 billion, while China’s reserves surpass US$3 trillion.”
The coalition also urged Zanu PF to address corruption and human rights abuses and refrain from turning Matabeleland into a “political battleground.”
