Self-exiled former cabinet minister and ex-Zanu PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere has put out a call on Zimbabweans to rise and resist President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s apparent bid for an unconstitutional third term.
This comes amid a crescendo of public canvassing by Zanu PF provincial chairs, women and youth groups for the 81-year-old politician who has been in government’s top echelon since independence in 1980 to overshoot the country’s two-term limit for an illegal third term.
Mnangagwa is the only surviving top government official from late former President Robert Mugabe’s 1980 cabinet. He has never been out of government since.
Kasukuwere, who was elbowed out of Zimbabwe’s 2023 presidential race after his nemeses brandished the country’s statute books in his face to checkmate his maiden charge for the country’s most powerful job, sees everything wrong with Mnangagwa attempting to violate the same laws.
He posted on X (Twitter), “The ill-fated 2030 mobilisation by factional interests within Zanu PF must be resisted. The current government is yet to complete a year in its second term of office. ED was sworn in for the second and last term on the 4th September 2023.
“To imagine that his minions are already running around motivating for a third term is careless and dangerous.”
President Mnangagwa said at a rally in Manicaland recently he will not seek a third term, adding that he has served enough and wants to “go and rest”.
But this has ignited what appears to be a coordinated campaign among the Zanu PF faithful for him to stay on.
Elements peddling the unpopular plot claim his prolonged stay will allow him to see through the fruition of the Zimbabwe leader’s Vision 2030 agenda aimed towards turning the troubled country into an upper middle-income economy by 2030.
Kasukuwere has strong reservations to that.
“This will require that we rise up and defend the Constitution of Zimbabwe from this calculated assault,” said the South Africa based politician.
“Politicians, the Clergy, veterans of the struggle, peasants, business leaders, youths, women and all citizens, this is the time to say NO to this madness.
“Already, the ‘cooking’ is underway at times disguised as gastronomy engagements! The women and youths are now being prepared accordingly.”
The former Mount Darwin lawmaker sees calls for Mnangagwa to stay as a well-choreographed campaign clandestinely engineered by the Zimbabwe strongman himself but wants them to appear they are popular and unsolicited pleas.
He added, “The multiple voices within the party are sending different signals and sadly, it appears ED is very much behind these shenanigans, typical modus operandi, deny, deny then yield to the people’s demands.
“The country therefore has to stop this madness before the future of our children is personalised. We have to join hands and take a stand against this crude and divisive rhetoric.”
