TSHABANGU’S PRAISE FOR MNANGAGWA SHOWS HOW OUR POLITICS IS NOW BROKEN

It is hard to believe what is happening in our country. Today we watched Sengezo Tshabangu, the man who calls himself the secretary-general of the CCC, go to Mnangagwa’s farm in Kwekwe and praise him like he is a king. Tshabangu even said Mnangagwa can stay in power until 2030 if it makes people happy. He said this in front of almost 300 MPs and senators, and the whole crowd started clapping. Mnangagwa smiled and clapped too. Jacob Mudenda also clapped. It felt like a show, not real politics.

Tshabangu told everyone that he is the CCC leader in parliament, and he acted like the whole opposition agrees with him. He said the opposition can accept Mnangagwa staying longer if it helps the people. But we all know very well that this is not the voice of the people. This is the voice of politicians who no longer care about democracy. It is painful to watch the opposition and ZANU PF celebrate together while the country suffers.

This visit to Precabe Farm comes after news that the opposition had already agreed to push the 2028 elections to 2030. They say they want Mnangagwa to finish his projects and do reforms. But we know what this really means. It means the people are being pushed aside while politicians agree to keep the same leader in power. It is a betrayal of everything we have fought for.

Mnangagwa has now turned his farm into a political stage. They say it is a modern farming model, but we all know it has become his unofficial office where he makes big political decisions. Mudenda, Togarepi, and Tshabangu led the group there today. It is clear they wanted to show loyalty to Mnangagwa. They even accept him calling himself “Munhumutapa,” a name linked to ancient Shona emperors. He has even declared his birthday as “Munhumutapa Day.” This tells us he is trying to build himself into something bigger than the constitution.

But this plan for 2030 is not welcomed by everyone. Chiwenga and his group inside ZANU PF are not happy. They say Mnangagwa broke the agreement they made after the 2017 coup. They expected him to leave after his first term in 2023. But Mnangagwa stayed, ran again, and now wants to change the constitution to stay even longer. The party in Bulawayo endorsed him last year, but many people inside ZANU PF are angry. The cracks are there for all to see.

To get his 2030 plan, Mnangagwa must change the constitution. Right now, the law says a president can only serve two terms. To remove that limit, he needs a referendum. Even after that, he needs another referendum because the law says a president cannot benefit from a change made during his time. But Mnangagwa does not seem worried. He believes parliament and his political deals will give him the power he wants.

Chiwenga and his military allies are not ready to accept this. They see Mnangagwa’s actions as a betrayal. The fight between these two sides is getting worse. Zimbabwe is entering a dangerous time because nobody knows how far this battle will go. It might even end in a major crisis.

Still, Mnangagwa continues to gather supporters at his farm. Every visit becomes a campaign event. Today was just another move to make his 2030 plan look normal. But it is not normal. It is a direct attack on our democracy.

Many Zimbabweans are watching and feeling powerless. Some people think Mnangagwa brings stability. Others see a leader who refuses to leave office. The next years will show if the people of Zimbabwe will accept this or if there will be strong resistance. What is clear today is that Tshabangu’s actions show how broken our politics has become. Our leaders are choosing power, not the people.