CHIWENGA AND THE MILITARY CRUSH MNANGAGWA’S 2030 DREAM

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s hope to stay in power until 2030 is now almost dead. The signs are clear. His plan for a third term has been stopped by strong opposition from Vice President Constantino Chiwenga and the military. The recent National Youth Day event in Bulawayo showed that even his closest supporters have pulled back from the “2030” campaign. This is a big defeat for Mnangagwa.

At the event, something was missing. There were no loud chants of “2030 ndeya Emmerson.” No songs. No big support. The people were quiet. Chiwenga was standing there with his wife, looking calm and very sure of himself. The silence showed that the military-backed group led by Chiwenga is now in control. Mnangagwa’s support is falling apart.

The military has made it very clear. They do not want Mnangagwa to get a third term. Just days before the Bulawayo event, soldiers and armoured vehicles were seen in the streets of Harare. This was not a normal exercise. It was a message. A loud one. The military is saying, “Enough is enough.” A source from the army said the military’s position is “unequivocal,” meaning they will not change their mind. They want Mnangagwa to leave in 2028.

Mnangagwa has been trying to say he does not want a third term. He said on Monday that he will retire in 2028. But that is hard to believe. For many months, people close to him were pushing the 2030 message hard. Posters. T-shirts. Songs. Social media. But now, with the army stepping in, that campaign is almost finished.

Another big problem for Mnangagwa is the war veterans. They are no longer with him. These are the same people who helped Zanu PF stay in power for years. But now they are saying Mnangagwa must step down now, not in 2028. They say he has failed as a leader. This is a big blow because the war veterans are respected in the party and the country. If they turn against you, it is hard to survive in politics.

The silence at the Bulawayo event and the missing “2030” songs show that people are scared to support Mnangagwa now. They know the military does not want him to continue. No one wants to go against the army. This could also mean that things are changing in Zanu PF. The real power may now be with Chiwenga.

Chiwenga has always been a powerful man. He is not just a politician. He is a former general. He knows the army. He controls it. He understands power. Now it looks like he is ready to take over. Slowly, but surely, he is becoming the man in charge.

Mnangagwa’s dream of staying in power until 2030 is gone. The army said no. Chiwenga said no. Even the war veterans said no. This is how power ends. Not with shouting, but with silence. A silence that means the game is over. Mnangagwa will most likely leave office in 2028, and the door is now open for someone else to take over.

Right now, that person looks like Chiwenga. He has the support. He has the army. He has the confidence. But in politics, anything can happen. For now, though, Mnangagwa is losing. And Chiwenga is rising.

Zimbabwe is entering a new chapter. One where the army decides more than the voters. One where silence speaks louder than slogans. And one where Emmerson Mnangagwa’s power is slipping through his fingers.