Internal Push to Postpone Zanu-PF Leadership Vote Gains Momentum Ahead of Chinhoyi Conference

Zanu-PF is reportedly experiencing an internal push to cancel its scheduled 2027 elective congress, an event intended to select a new First Secretary and President. This maneuver, according to party insiders, aims to prolong President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s tenure and further diminish Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s prospects of succession.

The initiative gained public traction over the past weekend during celebrations for Constitution Amendment Act No. 3 in Epworth. During these events, high-ranking party officials and district representatives reportedly discussed proposals to defer internal elections, with a resolution potentially being passed at the party’s conference later this year.

Several district and provincial officials, who requested anonymity due to not being authorized to speak publicly, informed this publication that what began as informal chants of “2030” has evolved into organized “secret campaigns and educational awareness events” across various provinces. These sources indicate that the objective is to persuade party structures to formulate and adopt a resolution to postpone the 2027 elective congress. The final push for this resolution is anticipated at Zanu-PF’s Annual National People’s Conference in Chinhoyi later this year.

“It is being framed as an alignment,” one provincial official commented. “The argument presented to districts is that the party’s constitution should be harmonized with the national constitution to acknowledge and support the President’s Vision and his demonstrated developmental achievements.”

Constitution Amendment No. 3, recently enacted by President Mnangagwa, has become a central point of reference in these discussions. Proponents of the deferral argue for consistency between the party’s governance framework and the national legal structure.

Should this resolution be adopted, it would delay the election of a new First Secretary—a position currently held by Mnangagwa—and, by extension, the party’s presidential candidate. Such a delay would directly impact the internal succession dynamics, where Chiwenga is widely considered the leading contender.

Sources associated with a faction opposing Chiwenga’s immediate rise to power stated that they are working “diligently” with district and provincial officials to ensure this plan materializes as Resolution Number 1 at the Chinhoyi conference. “If the structures are convinced and influenced, it would further reduce the chances of one individual and create an opportunity for the development of other alternatives, believed to be from a new figure with growing influence within party circles,” another source revealed. The “new character” was not identified by these sources.

Zanu-PF’s constitution currently mandates elective congresses every five years. Any alteration to this timeline would necessitate an amendment passed by the congress or, in certain instances, endorsed by a conference and subsequently ratified.

Party spokesman Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa had not responded to requests for comment by the time of publication.

Publicly, senior figures including Senator Charles Tawengwa, Minister of State for Harare Metropolitan Provincial Affairs, and Omega Hungwe, alongside other provincial and district officials, have recently emphasized unity and support for the President’s development agenda following the Epworth celebrations.

This debate emerges as Zanu-PF endeavors to consolidate support for Government programs under Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy 2. The “2030” slogan has been prominently used at several recent rallies, including the Epworth event commemorating Amendment No. 3.

Political analysts suggest that any move to postpone internal elections will intensify the debate within the party regarding leadership renewal versus continuity, and how Zanu-PF will manage succession leading up to the next national elections. Close sources indicate that the “2030” mobilization effort aims to align the party constitution with national law and defer the vote for a new First Secretary.

For the immediate future, the Chinhoyi conference later this year is poised to be a crucial test of whether the proposed resolution gains widespread acceptance across districts and provinces, and whether it reconfigures the contest to succeed Mnangagwa, thereby fueling broader discussions surrounding Zanu-PF’s succession politics and the political alignment with CAB3.