A leaked government document proposing suspending Zimbabwe's elections for up to 10 years has exposed deep divisions within the ruling party over efforts to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa's tenure beyond 2028. Vice President Constantino Chiwenga told party leaders the 68-page Breaking Barriers Initiative seeks to justify postponing votes under the guise of ending political disputes. Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi first confirmed the paper's existence before later dismissing it as possibly fabricated.
The document circulated widely before the party's conference last month in Mutare, where delegates voted to pursue legal changes that would allow Mnangagwa to remain in office until 2030. Opposition figures described the proposal as an unconstitutional attempt to consolidate power that would require public approval through a referendum. Analysts said conflicting official statements revealed poor coordination between government branches and suggested intense factional struggles over succession planning.
Presidential aides recently warned that forged documents were being leaked by government insiders attempting to sabotage. The controversy has intensified tensions between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga, widely viewed as his likely successor. Party members believe the 83-year-old leader's supporters want to prevent a return of military influence under Chiwenga's leadership.
The document circulated widely before the party's conference last month in Mutare, where delegates voted to pursue legal changes that would allow Mnangagwa to remain in office until 2030. Opposition figures described the proposal as an unconstitutional attempt to consolidate power that would require public approval through a referendum. Analysts said conflicting official statements revealed poor coordination between government branches and suggested intense factional struggles over succession planning.
Presidential aides recently warned that forged documents were being leaked by government insiders attempting to sabotage. The controversy has intensified tensions between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga, widely viewed as his likely successor. Party members believe the 83-year-old leader's supporters want to prevent a return of military influence under Chiwenga's leadership.
