In December 2018, President Emmerson Mnangagwa stood before thousands of Zanu PF delegates at Mzingwane High School in Esigodini, using the party’s annual conference as a stage to set his sights on the 2023 elections. Just three months into his new term, the man who rose to power on the back of a military coup was already looking ahead, planning not just for another five years in office, but laying the foundation for something even more ambitious — a third term.

Back then, Mnangagwa was still bound by a silent agreement made with his co-deputy, Constantino Chiwenga. The deal was simple: Mnangagwa would serve one term and step aside, handing over the reins to the general who had orchestrated the 2017 coup that toppled Robert Mugabe. But as time passed and Mnangagwa became comfortable with the taste of power, that promise faded like ink in the rain.

Instead of honouring the agreement, Mnangagwa set out to eliminate those within his inner circle who posed a threat to his grip on power. One by one, key military and political figures were sidelined, demoted, or forced into retirement. Chiwenga, once considered the heir apparent, found himself increasingly isolated. What began as a partnership born out of political necessity soon turned into a cold war between two men who had once shared a common enemy.

Fast-forward to today, and the whispers of a third term for Mnangagwa have grown louder. After securing a controversial win in the 2023 elections — marred by accusations of fraud and manipulation — Mnangagwa’s next mission is to secure a two-thirds majority in parliament. This would allow him to change the constitution and legally extend his stay in power beyond the current 2028 limit.

At 81 years old (though many believe he is older), Mnangagwa is defying both time and the law in his pursuit of absolute power. If he succeeds in his plan, he could rule until 2033, ending his presidency at 91 — or even 96, depending on which birth date one believes. The implications for Zimbabwe are staggering. Already suffering under decades of economic decline, political repression, and misrule, the country now faces the prospect of another decade under a man who came to power promising reform but delivered more of the same.

What makes this situation even more dangerous is that Mnangagwa’s strategy relies heavily on crushing opposition voices. His party is working overtime to weaken the CCC in parliament, using state institutions to block, recall, or intimidate elected members. Every move is calculated to clear the way for constitutional amendments that will extend his rule. This is not democracy — it is dictatorship dressed in the clothes of a tired liberation movement.

The scenes at Esigodini in 2018 were more than just political theatre. They were the beginning of a long game of betrayal and ambition. Mnangagwa’s political life has always been built on survival — first under Mugabe, then in the shadow of the coup, and now as the lone player rewriting the rules of succession to suit his personal goals.

But Zimbabwe cannot afford another decade of stagnation. The country’s hospitals are crumbling, inflation is destroying lives, young people are fleeing in droves, and the promise of a better tomorrow has become a cruel joke. Instead of plotting how to stay in office until his nineties, Mnangagwa should be focusing on fixing what decades of Zanu PF rule have broken.

The people of Zimbabwe did not risk their lives during the liberation struggle just to replace one strongman with another. They deserve leadership that puts the nation first, not a president who rewrites history and the constitution just to protect his own seat.

If Mnangagwa’s plans for a third term succeed, it won’t just be a betrayal of Chiwenga. It will be a betrayal of every Zimbabwean who hoped that the fall of Mugabe would lead to real change. Once again, the old man in charge is looking to outlast the will of the people — and once again, the future of Zimbabwe hangs in the balance.