Zimbabwe faces a major power struggle as Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga and war veterans led by Blessed Geza have started trying to remove President Emmerson Mnangagwa from office. They claim he has vascular dementia and cannot lead anymore. This health condition hurts brain function by limiting blood flow. A draft document for impeachment has been making the rounds in the Zanu-PF party.
People close to Chiwenga say Mnangagwa's brain isn't working well enough to make good choices anymore. One person from their side said they need strong leadership instead of uncertainty. War veterans' leader Blessed Geza is leading this push against the president. He and his supporters believe Mnangagwa refuses to let go of power despite health problems.
This shows how deep the split has become in Zimbabwe's ruling party. The Chiwenga group, backed by military support, stands against loyal followers of Mnangagwa, who has led Zimbabwe since he helped force Robert Mugabe out in November 2017. Those involved plan to bring the impeachment to Parliament. They hope to use Zanu-PF's big majority if enough members agree to join them.
Many lawmakers might feel tired of Mnangagwa's leadership and be brave enough to speak up because of growing criticism inside the party. The president's office hasn't said anything official about these claims yet, but his spokespeople will probably respond soon. Officials have always denied past rumors about health issues.
Experts say this could cause a huge political crisis, especially if the impeachment effort gains support before next year's party congress. Some think Chiwenga wants to force Mnangagwa to step down or agree on who takes over next. The next few weeks look tense as party members fight and people talk about the future of the 82-year-old president. Mnangagwa hasn't said whether he plans to run for another term.
People close to Chiwenga say Mnangagwa's brain isn't working well enough to make good choices anymore. One person from their side said they need strong leadership instead of uncertainty. War veterans' leader Blessed Geza is leading this push against the president. He and his supporters believe Mnangagwa refuses to let go of power despite health problems.
This shows how deep the split has become in Zimbabwe's ruling party. The Chiwenga group, backed by military support, stands against loyal followers of Mnangagwa, who has led Zimbabwe since he helped force Robert Mugabe out in November 2017. Those involved plan to bring the impeachment to Parliament. They hope to use Zanu-PF's big majority if enough members agree to join them.
Many lawmakers might feel tired of Mnangagwa's leadership and be brave enough to speak up because of growing criticism inside the party. The president's office hasn't said anything official about these claims yet, but his spokespeople will probably respond soon. Officials have always denied past rumors about health issues.
Experts say this could cause a huge political crisis, especially if the impeachment effort gains support before next year's party congress. Some think Chiwenga wants to force Mnangagwa to step down or agree on who takes over next. The next few weeks look tense as party members fight and people talk about the future of the 82-year-old president. Mnangagwa hasn't said whether he plans to run for another term.
