By Victor Fanuel
HARARE — Vice President Constantino Chiwenga this week skipped a Zanu PF Politburo seminar, opting instead to attend the funeral of a former ZIPRA liberation fighter.
This development has fuelled speculation about intensifying factional tensions within the ruling party amid controversial constitutional reforms.
Chiwenga’s absence comes at a sensitive moment, following Cabinet’s approval of the proposed Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment Bill, 2026, which seeks to introduce sweeping changes to the country’s governance framework.
Among the most contentious proposals are the extension of presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years, the application of the extended term to the incumbent, and the repeal of Section 92 of the Constitution, which currently provides for the direct election of the President by voters.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s second and final term is due to expire in 2028, with Chiwenga widely regarded as a leading contender to succeed him.
However, critics say the proposed reforms appear designed to reconfigure the succession landscape in ways that could sideline the Vice President’s ambitions.
Under the proposed Bill, the President would no longer be elected by popular vote but by Members of Parliament sitting jointly as the Senate and National Assembly.
A candidate would be required to secure more than half of the valid votes cast, with provision for a run-off between the top two candidates should no absolute majority be achieved.
Two Cabinet ministers, speaking on condition of anonymity, reportedly told journalist Hopewell Chin’ono that deliberations over the amendments were marked by a heated exchange between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga.
According to the ministers, Chiwenga raised objections during discussions, prompting the Mnangagwa to assert his authority as Head of State.
The ministers further alleged that Mnangagwa reminded Cabinet colleagues that the liberation struggle had been fought to enable the ruling party to govern as it saw fit.
Against this backdrop, analysts view Chiwenga’s absence from the Politburo seminar as a calculated signal of discomfort with both the direction of the constitutional reforms and their implications for internal succession dynamics.
Chiwenga served in ZANLA, the armed wing of Zanu during the liberation struggle, while Vice President Kembo Mohadi was aligned with ZIPRA, the military wing of ZAPU. Although the two liberation movements were integrated after independence, their historical legacies continue to shape political alignments within Zanu PF.
Constitutional law expert Lovemore Madhuku has strongly condemned the proposed amendments, describing them as “totally unacceptable” and accusing their architects of disregarding the will of the people.
“The proposed constitutional amendments for 2030 are totally unacceptable. The movers of these proposals have no respect for the people.
“The NCA party and I will be at the forefront of mobilising for the total rejection of these proposals,” Madhuku said.
Beyond electoral reforms, the Bill also proposes increasing the number of Senators from 80 to 90, granting the President authority to appoint 10 Senators based on professional competencies, and transferring voter registration and custody of voters’ rolls from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to the Registrar-General.
It further seeks to establish a Zimbabwe Electoral Delimitation Commission appointed by the President, revise judicial appointment procedures to enhance presidential discretion following consultation with the Judicial Service Commission, and abolish the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission.
The Zimbabwe Gender Commission would also be dissolved, with its functions absorbed by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission.
Additional changes include redefining the mandate of the Defence Forces — replacing the obligation “to uphold this Constitution” with a duty to act “in accordance with the Constitution” — and repealing restrictions on the political conduct of traditional leaders, leaving such matters to an Act of Parliament.
Drafters of the Bill insist the reforms are intended to strengthen institutions, reinforce constitutional governance and improve administrative efficiency.
Critics, however, warn that the proposals amount to a fundamental reordering of Zimbabwe’s constitutional democracy and could set a dangerous precedent.
