MNANGAGWA’S DOUBLE GAME: THE HIDDEN PUSH TO STAY IN POWER BEYOND 2028

There is growing tension in Zimbabwe’s political circles as President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s true intentions about his future in power come under scrutiny. Officially, he has stated that he will respect the constitution and step down in 2028 when his second term ends. But on the ground, the story looks very different. A strong and coordinated campaign is unfolding, led by his supporters, to keep him in office until at least 2030. What makes this more suspicious is that Mnangagwa has done nothing to stop this campaign, raising questions about whether he is quietly endorsing it while pretending otherwise.

This situation paints Mnangagwa as a leader trying to play two games at once. In public, he projects the image of a constitutionalist who will respect term limits. Behind the scenes, however, his allies are actively pushing for an unconstitutional extension of his rule. It is becoming increasingly clear that while Mnangagwa denies any intention to stay in power beyond 2028, he is leaving the door wide open for a “people-driven” campaign that could conveniently justify his continued leadership.

The president’s public denials seem to be part of a calculated strategy. If things go wrong and his plan to extend power fails, he can easily claim that he never supported it. Yet if his allies succeed in rallying enough support, Mnangagwa could then say that he is merely responding to the “will of the people.” It is a political balancing act designed to keep him safe while he tests the waters of authoritarian extension.

A major factor driving Mnangagwa’s cautious approach is his uneasy relationship with Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga. The two men have been locked in a quiet power struggle ever since they came to power following the 2017 coup that ousted Robert Mugabe. Chiwenga, backed by powerful military figures, is widely seen as waiting for his turn to lead. Any attempt by Mnangagwa to stay in power beyond 2028 risks provoking a dangerous split within ZANU PF. For now, Mnangagwa appears to be walking on eggshells, denying any extension plans while his allies do the talking for him.

One example of this came when Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Owen “Mudha” Ncube publicly declared that Mnangagwa should remain president after 2028. Ncube’s open defiance of constitutional limits is not an isolated incident. Similar statements have been made by other party figures, all echoing the same message: that Mnangagwa must stay on for the sake of “stability” and “continuity.” These remarks are not random. They represent a coordinated political message that Mnangagwa himself has chosen not to silence.

The result is that the president’s credibility is crumbling. The more he insists he will leave office, the louder his supporters call for him to stay. This contradiction makes his public statements sound hollow and insincere. If he truly wanted to step down in 2028, why would his loyalists be campaigning so aggressively for his extension? The silence from his office in the face of these statements only fuels suspicion that the so-called grassroots campaign is actually being orchestrated from the top.

Zimbabwe now finds itself at a critical juncture. The internal conflict within ZANU PF could erupt into open confrontation if Mnangagwa pushes too far. Chiwenga and the military are unlikely to accept any move that blocks their path to power. Yet Mnangagwa seems determined to secure his legacy and maintain control, no matter the cost.

In the end, Mnangagwa’s strategy of pretending to follow the constitution while quietly undermining it may backfire. The longer he tries to deceive both his rivals and the public, the greater the risk of exposure. When his double game finally unravels, it could trigger a political crisis that shakes the foundations of Zimbabwe’s already fragile democracy. Whether he can keep balancing these contradictions until 2028—or beyond—remains to be seen.