Zimbabwe's president faces the biggest challenge to his leadership since he took power almost eight years ago. The threat comes from inside his party as members demand he step down. They call for action during a time when the country battles economic problems and corruption claims that never seem to end.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa promised to fight back against anyone who speaks up. He called these actions "treasonous" during a recent ZANU-PF party meeting and blamed the unrest on people he labeled "chameleon-like characters." Many citizens worry about possible violence as tension grows in this southern African nation that has suffered through years of political and financial troubles.
People mostly stayed home during planned nationwide protests on Monday. They feared what the government might do if they went outside. Zimbabwe has dealt with crazy inflation for over twenty years. Money loses value faster than the country can print it. The Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce reports that around 80 percent of jobs exist in the informal sector, where pay stays low and job security remains rare.
The international community views Zimbabwe poorly because of human rights problems, political crackdowns, questionable elections, and corruption. The United States placed sanctions on top leaders, including Mnangagwa himself. The 82-year-old president once promised both democratic and economic changes when he helped push out Robert Mugabe in 2017. Mugabe had ruled as a dictator for 37 years.
Mnangagwa failed to use the country's valuable minerals to create better economic conditions. He recently fired the army chief, Anselem Sanyatwe, right before Monday's planned protests. He also removed both the police chief and head of intelligence services earlier. Many political experts see these moves as attempts to protect himself from a military takeover.
Hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans have left their country over the past twenty years. They continue to leave every day, creating problems with nearby countries that struggle to handle all these new arrivals. "Zimbabwe says Mugabe was better - that shows how bad things have become," said Ntokozo Msipha, a ZANU-PF member who helped organize protests against Mnangagwa. "We should have acted sooner."
Those fighting against the president accuse him of trying to stay in power past 2028, when his second term ends. Critics claim he previously promised to hand leadership to his vice president, Constantino Chiwenga. Earlier this year, the ruling party announced plans to change the Constitution to let Mnangagwa run for a third term in 2028.
Vice President Chiwenga, a decorated army general, helped plan the coup that removed Mugabe. Many who oppose Mnangagwa want Chiwenga to replace him. The vice president has not made any public statements about the current problems caused by fellow party members.
Blessed Geza leads efforts to remove the president. This former senior party member fought in the liberation war but went into hiding after officials accused him of treason. At a news conference last week, Geza demanded the president "go or face being removed." Tafadzwa Mugwadi, a ZANU-PF member of Parliament, dismissed Geza's group as having no standing. "I have no record of any internal factional fights," Mugwadi said. "I don't understand his authority."
The president seems unwilling to take chances despite supporter claims that critics don't matter. Last Friday, police carrying batons filled the capital city of Harare. They patrolled Africa Unity Square Park, a popular protest location, as regular people ate lunch and relaxed on benches nearby. At a roadblock outside Harare, officers searched vehicles for weapons. They told drivers they needed to stop violent protesters based on government orders.
Car salesman Gilbert Tapfumaneyi had his vehicle searched but said he planned to return on foot on Monday to join the protests. He complained he makes barely enough money to buy gas. "We have suffered enough," he explained. Many workers stayed home Monday because they feared violence. Others felt they had no choice but to work despite the risks.
"I have mouths to feed back home," roadside vendor Belinda Chisewu explained. She sells cellphone credit and has three children to support. Political analysts suggest the fighting inside ZANU-PF relates more to battles over power and resources than actual concerns about everyday citizens. Rashweat Mukundu, a rights activist based in Zimbabwe, compared current party divisions to problems during the Mugabe era. "What we see follows a similar pattern of the ruling party failing to manage its transition," he explained. "An incumbent perhaps wants to become an imperial president and stay in power until death, and that always upsets those with political aspirations."
President Emmerson Mnangagwa promised to fight back against anyone who speaks up. He called these actions "treasonous" during a recent ZANU-PF party meeting and blamed the unrest on people he labeled "chameleon-like characters." Many citizens worry about possible violence as tension grows in this southern African nation that has suffered through years of political and financial troubles.
People mostly stayed home during planned nationwide protests on Monday. They feared what the government might do if they went outside. Zimbabwe has dealt with crazy inflation for over twenty years. Money loses value faster than the country can print it. The Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce reports that around 80 percent of jobs exist in the informal sector, where pay stays low and job security remains rare.
The international community views Zimbabwe poorly because of human rights problems, political crackdowns, questionable elections, and corruption. The United States placed sanctions on top leaders, including Mnangagwa himself. The 82-year-old president once promised both democratic and economic changes when he helped push out Robert Mugabe in 2017. Mugabe had ruled as a dictator for 37 years.
Mnangagwa failed to use the country's valuable minerals to create better economic conditions. He recently fired the army chief, Anselem Sanyatwe, right before Monday's planned protests. He also removed both the police chief and head of intelligence services earlier. Many political experts see these moves as attempts to protect himself from a military takeover.
Hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans have left their country over the past twenty years. They continue to leave every day, creating problems with nearby countries that struggle to handle all these new arrivals. "Zimbabwe says Mugabe was better - that shows how bad things have become," said Ntokozo Msipha, a ZANU-PF member who helped organize protests against Mnangagwa. "We should have acted sooner."
Those fighting against the president accuse him of trying to stay in power past 2028, when his second term ends. Critics claim he previously promised to hand leadership to his vice president, Constantino Chiwenga. Earlier this year, the ruling party announced plans to change the Constitution to let Mnangagwa run for a third term in 2028.
Vice President Chiwenga, a decorated army general, helped plan the coup that removed Mugabe. Many who oppose Mnangagwa want Chiwenga to replace him. The vice president has not made any public statements about the current problems caused by fellow party members.
Blessed Geza leads efforts to remove the president. This former senior party member fought in the liberation war but went into hiding after officials accused him of treason. At a news conference last week, Geza demanded the president "go or face being removed." Tafadzwa Mugwadi, a ZANU-PF member of Parliament, dismissed Geza's group as having no standing. "I have no record of any internal factional fights," Mugwadi said. "I don't understand his authority."
The president seems unwilling to take chances despite supporter claims that critics don't matter. Last Friday, police carrying batons filled the capital city of Harare. They patrolled Africa Unity Square Park, a popular protest location, as regular people ate lunch and relaxed on benches nearby. At a roadblock outside Harare, officers searched vehicles for weapons. They told drivers they needed to stop violent protesters based on government orders.
Car salesman Gilbert Tapfumaneyi had his vehicle searched but said he planned to return on foot on Monday to join the protests. He complained he makes barely enough money to buy gas. "We have suffered enough," he explained. Many workers stayed home Monday because they feared violence. Others felt they had no choice but to work despite the risks.
"I have mouths to feed back home," roadside vendor Belinda Chisewu explained. She sells cellphone credit and has three children to support. Political analysts suggest the fighting inside ZANU-PF relates more to battles over power and resources than actual concerns about everyday citizens. Rashweat Mukundu, a rights activist based in Zimbabwe, compared current party divisions to problems during the Mugabe era. "What we see follows a similar pattern of the ruling party failing to manage its transition," he explained. "An incumbent perhaps wants to become an imperial president and stay in power until death, and that always upsets those with political aspirations."
