HARARE – A behind-the-scenes power struggle has erupted within ZANU PF after all ten provincial chairpersons met President Emmerson Mnangagwa at his Precabe Farm in Kwekwe on 2 November 2025, urging him to extend his rule beyond 2028 — only to be flatly rebuffed.

According to multiple highly placed sources within the ruling party, the chairmen pressed Mnangagwa to implement the controversial Resolution No. 1, which calls for the amendment of the Constitution to allow him to serve an additional two years beyond his second term. The resolution, sources said, has been formally adopted at two consecutive party conferences and is seen by provincial leaders as a reflection of “the will of the people.”

“They told him they had done their part — that they had ‘won the hearts and minds’ of the party structures in all ten provinces,” one senior insider revealed. “They were expecting a green light to begin formal groundwork for the extension.”

But the President, known internally as Klep, reportedly shut down the proposal in no uncertain terms.

“I have told you and the nation at several gatherings and platforms that I will not go beyond my term limit,” he is quoted as saying. “Prepare for a general election in 2028. I am a tired man, and I need a rest.”

Shock and Frustration in the Provinces

Those present were said to be “shocked but not discouraged.” A senior provincial chairperson who attended the meeting told this publication that while Mnangagwa’s position was known, they had believed he would eventually relent.

“He was the one who initially encouraged us to push for constitutional amendments,” the official said. “That’s why the provinces feel betrayed. We didn’t act on our own.”

Another insider described the meeting as “tense and inconclusive,” with no compromise reached. “It ended in a deadlock,” the source said. “The chairmen agreed to continue pressing for implementation, insisting it’s what the people want.”

Health Concerns and the Rise of Tagwirei

Amid the mounting pressure, Mnangagwa’s health is said to be a growing concern inside the First Family, with close relatives privately worried about his ability to endure another five years in office.

According to top party sources, First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa has taken a leading role in behind-the-scenes manoeuvres to secure a “safe succession” plan — one that preserves both the family’s political influence and economic security.

Central to that plan, sources say, is business tycoon Kudakwashe Tagwirei (KT), widely believed to be Mnangagwa’s preferred successor.

“It’s now an open secret inside the politburo,” said one senior official familiar with the succession discussions. “Tagwirei’s rapid elevation into Harare Province and the Central Committee was no accident — it was deliberate, and it had the President’s blessing.”

Chivhayo, Sakupwanya, and the “New Power Circle”

Party insiders also allege that Wicknell Chivhayo and Scott Sakupwanya have become powerful intermediaries between Mnangagwa, Tagwirei, and the First Lady — effectively forming what one insider described as “the new power circle.”

“These two have captured the President’s ear,” another high-ranking source said. “Their influence is comparable to Rasputin’s over the Tsar. Even the First Lady, who once viewed them with suspicion, now defends them and grants them unfettered access to the President.”

Chivhayo is believed to view Tagwirei as a safeguard for his extensive business empire, built through lucrative state contracts.

“Chivhayo knows that under KT, his wealth and protection continue,” said a source. “It’s all about continuity — for power, money, and immunity.”

2028: A Dangerous Election on the Horizon

Behind the bravado, ZANU PF insiders are increasingly anxious. One politburo member privately admitted that the party’s electoral future could be at stake if Mnangagwa’s succession is mishandled.

“If the wrong candidate is imposed, no amount of manipulation will save the party in 2028,” the source warned. “We are heading for self-destruction.”

Amid the internal confusion, opposition forces were briefly seen rallying towards a unity pact earlier this year — an effort disrupted by the bombing of the SAPES Trust offices in Harare and the arrest of activist Job Sikhala in South Africa. The twin incidents derailed talks that could have produced a credible opposition front capable of challenging ZANU PF.

A senior analyst in Harare noted that Mnangagwa’s refusal to extend his term may signal deeper factional calculations within the ruling party.

“He’s trying to manage a fragile equilibrium,” the analyst said. “By refusing an extension, he projects statesmanship to the international community. But by grooming a successor like Tagwirei, he keeps control of the post-Mnangagwa landscape.”

A Party on the Edge

Within ZANU PF, the feeling is one of uncertainty and quiet panic. “The Principal,” as one senior ally of the late Robert Mugabe still calls him, remains the only figure with mass appeal across factions. Yet his next move — or silence — may determine whether the party survives another election cycle.

“Nature abhors a vacuum,” a politburo veteran remarked grimly. “If the party doesn’t act fast, someone else will fill that void — and it might not be from within ZANU PF.”