Zanu PF is once again at war with itself. The ruling party has been thrown into open turmoil as Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s military-backed faction moves decisively against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s loyalists pushing the controversial “ED2030” agenda — a plan to extend Mnangagwa’s rule beyond the constitutionally allowed second term.

The fight has now spilled into the public arena, and it is brutal.

At the heart of the conflict is a power struggle over succession. The constitution is clear: Mnangagwa’s second and final term ends in 2028. But his allies have been aggressively campaigning for a constitutional amendment that would allow him to stay until 2030, if not longer. The push has come under the slogan “ED2030,” a campaign that has divided the party right down the middle.

Mnangagwa has publicly claimed that he respects the constitution. Yet, he has not strongly condemned the campaign, leaving his allies emboldened — and his critics suspicious.

But Chiwenga’s faction is not staying quiet.

In a bold move, Goodwills Masimirembwa, the Zanu PF Harare chairperson and a leading voice in the ED2030 campaign, was recently suspended. The night before the party’s annual conference in Bulawayo, his business premises were petrol-bombed — a violent message that sent shockwaves through the party. Masimirembwa had been aggressively lobbying for constitutional changes to allow Mnangagwa to extend his rule. Now, he finds himself sidelined, silenced, and shaken.

This is only the beginning. Chiwenga’s camp, backed by powerful military elements and Zanu PF traditionalists, is determined to block any attempt to tamper with the constitution for personal gain. They argue that the rule of law must be respected — not bent to satisfy one man’s ambitions.

Other Mnangagwa loyalists in the crosshairs include Lovemore Matuke, John Paradza, Owen “Mudha” Ncube, and Youth League leader Tinoda Machakaire — all vocal ED2030 backers. Even Vice President Kembo Mohadi and chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri are believed to support the campaign, alongside government ministers and top bureaucrats who have aligned their future with Mnangagwa’s continued rule.

But Chiwenga’s faction has powerful defenders of its own. Obert Mpofu, the party’s secretary for administration, is said to be among those working to crush the third-term campaign. Former ministers who were instrumental in bringing Mnangagwa to power during the 2017 coup have also turned their backs on him. Their message is simple: Mnangagwa must go when his term ends in 2028.

The fact that this battle is now playing out through suspensions, violent intimidation, and public confrontations shows just how deep the cracks within Zanu PF have become. This is not a policy disagreement. It is a full-scale war for control of the party and the country.

For Chiwenga, this is about reclaiming a promise. Many insiders believe that after the 2017 coup, a deal was made: Mnangagwa would serve one term, then hand over power. That promise was broken in 2023, and the extension drive has only deepened the betrayal.

The ED2030 campaign, instead of uniting the party around Mnangagwa, has ignited its slow collapse. The silence from the president, while his lieutenants push for a third term, has only added to the confusion and mistrust. He may be playing for time — or playing both sides. But time is running out.

Chiwenga’s group is moving fast, and more suspensions are expected. The use of force, both politically and physically, suggests the military-backed faction is ready to go all the way. The 2024 party conference might have closed, but the real war inside Zanu PF is only beginning.

Zimbabweans must watch closely. This is not just an internal party fight — it is a dangerous power struggle that could shape the future of the nation. One side wants to entrench personal rule. The other wants to protect a fragile constitutional order.

And in between, a nation waits in uncertainty.