HARARE – A resolution passed by Zanu PF at its annual conference in Bulawayo last year calling for constitutional amendments to keep President Emmerson Mnangagwa in power until 2030 is being exploited by “a few individuals” to fuel divisions in the party, the party’s chairperson Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri said Thursday.

Muchinguri said some party activists were being targeted for disciplinary action in the provinces by those who have “weaponised” the “2030” slogan, she told a state-of-the party indaba at the Zanu PF headquarters in Harare.

“Allow me to put the 21st National People’s Conference resolution number one under spotlight. Party leadership has observed, with dismay, the abuse of the resolution and the weaponisation of the ‘2030’ slogan,” she said.

“The resolution is a collective outcome that cannot be monopolised by a few individuals for personal gain and glory. These few individuals are now exploiting the resolution and the 2030 slogan to provoke discord and petty disciplinary cases. This must stop forthwith.

“You’re all aware that the resolution was and is supported by everyone hence let us give the requisite party protocol time to process it accordingly.”

Muchinguri, who is also the defence minister and is seen as an ally of Mnangagwa’s ambitious deputy Constantino Chiwenga, appeared to take issue with recent organised attacks on Chiwenga by a section of the party who sang songs denigrating him at the National Heroes Acre, while extolling Mnangagwa.

Muchinguri claimed this posed a “national security risk,” without explaining.

She railed: “It is shameful for any leader to always be seized with primitive and sometimes barbaric political bickering and chicanery which divides the party. Such behaviour is a bonus arsenal for our opposition forces.

“The consequence of such a smear campaign amongst ourselves is the propagation of artificial factionalism… Our president and entire presidium must be protected by shunning factionalism which is a mere figment of imagination by self-serving individuals. This then degenerates into a national security risk.”

Claiming that opposition politics “is currently dead,” Muchinguri said “divisive elements within have become our greatest undoing.”

She added: “Even some of our own affiliates, like the churches, are now being infiltrated by the enemy [within].”

Mnangagwa is in his second and final term as president, but some of his fanatical supporters – mainly elites surviving on patronage – are pushing an agenda to amend the constitution and remove term limits. The plan faces many legal and political hurdles, with Chiwenga reportedly opposed to it.

Mnangagwa insists he will step down when his term ends in 2028, but few believe him.