Zanu-PF youth leader suspended over ED 2030

As political maneuvers to backdoor President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term beyond 2028 gain momentum, a Zanu-PF youth leader who opposed the move has been suspended for defiance and faces expulsion from the party .

The campaign to extend Mnangagwa’s term until 2030 began in earnest in Masvingo and has now spread to Midlands province, the president’s political stronghold.

Although Mnangagwa has said he does not want a third term, his allies in the Midlands insist he will still be in charge in 2030, which will require a change to the constitution.
The internal dispute over the issue is increasingly causing political casualties as tensions rise.

Zanu-PF deputy administrative secretary Danmore Mambondiyani has been barred from carrying out his duties amid allegations of vote buying and his opposition to Plan 2030.

Officially, Mambondiyani is accused of bringing a bag full of money to a national youth board meeting before approaching Assistant Secretary for Youth Affairs John Paradza and Secretary for Youth Affairs Tinotenda Machakaire to give them $200 and $100, respectively.

Machakaire is Minister of Youth Development while Paradza is Deputy Minister of Environment.
However, insiders say the allegations leveled against Mambondiyani actually stem from a meeting of Zanu-PF’s national executive board on May 9, where he refused to chant slogans calling for an extension of Mnangagwa’s term over the constitutional term limits two to five years.

The youth board meeting was organized to co-opt eight members of the state board.

Deputy Finance Minister Kudakwashe Mnangagwa – the president’s son – was appointed deputy foreign minister in a process condemned as an imposition.

Among others, Deputy Sports Minister Emily Jasaya was co-opted as Assistant Secretary for Mines and Charles Munganasa as Assistant Secretary for Local Government.

Munganasa, a board member of the state-controlled Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), was recently appointed acting managing director of the propaganda megaphone.

During the meeting, Mambondiyani was asked why he did not chant slogans promoting the extension of Mnangagwa’s term beyond 2028 when everyone was doing so.

Zanu-PF Youth League sources say the real reason for Mambondiyani’s troubles is that he is known for wanting Mnangagwa to cede power to his deputy Constantino Chiwenga once his term ends in 2028.

In a letter to Mambondiyani, Zanu-PF Legal Affairs Youth Secretary Phineas Makombe writes:

“Please note that on Thursday, May 9, 2024, during the Youth League National Executive Council, you engaged in conduct unbecoming of a National Executive member. Chapter 6, Article 38 (Submission of Vacancies), Section (554), regulates conduct and how co-opts or vacancies in a party structure should be filed.

“On the contrary, you yourself, Cde Mambondiyani, came with a bag that was supposedly full of money, went to the Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs, Cde T Machakaire, opened the bag in front of the eyes of the media and the National Executive Council and gave Cde Paradza 200 United .” State dollar and Cde Machakaire 100 US dollars.

“They continued to publicly chant “Vote Cde Mambondiyani” for a certain vacant position in the National Executive Council of the Youth League before and during the meeting. The above behavior in front of the media indicates that the party can fill vacancies or posts through vote buying, furthermore, these measures violate the provisional constitutional provisions mentioned in Chapter 6 Article 38 Paragraph (550) (6). “

Makombe added: “Singing your name alone during the top meeting and in a disrespectful manner is in line with Chapter (6) Article (38) Section (550) (9) while this relates to Article 37 Section 549 (8) ( 11) Due to the above allegations, you are prohibited from acting on behalf of or as Assistant Secretary for Administration of the National Youth League Executive Council in accordance with Chapter (5) Article (36) Section (528). Upon issuance of this prohibition order, your matter will be referred to forwarded to the National Disciplinary Committee for further action and advice.”

A Zanu-PF insider said Mambondiyani’s real crime was his opposition to Plan 2030.
“He makes it clear that Mnangagwa should not extend his term but should give Chiwenga the opportunity to take over when his term ends in 2028,” the insider said.

Mnangagwa and Chiwenga are locked in a bitter power struggle over succession.
Although they were allies when they toppled late former President Robert Mugabe in 2017, they clashed over the party’s unresolved leadership issue.

Their deal called for Mnangagwa to serve one term and leave in 2023 for Chiwenga to step in, but the president rejected this.

Now he actually wants to extend his rule beyond 2028 to 2030, which Chiwenga and his allies like Mambondiyani vehemently reject.