As ZANU-PF approaches its 2024 conference slated for 22 to 27 October in Bulawayo, the political landscape is characterised by glaring internal political contradictions and discord. The contentious issue at the centre of these contradictions is President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s unconstitutional and illegal bid for a third term in office. Despite Mnangagwa’s public declarations that he is not interested in another term in office, persistent push for it by many of his party’s senior agents and organs suggests otherwise. This paper delves into the deceptive politics surrounding the third term debate, examining the conflicting sentiments within ZANU-PF’s ranks. From the vocal support of ZANU-PF’s provincial and district co-ordinating committees to the rebuttals by the Masvingo province war veterans and the strategic manoeuvres of the party’s national Political Commissar Munyaradzi Machacha, the Zimbabwe Democracy Institute (ZDI) critically explores the intricate web of elite discohesion within the party. By capturing and analyzing these contradictions, ZDI seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of the underlying power struggles, their possible outcomes and implications for Zimbabwe’s political transition and the need to safeguard protection undemocratic changes to the Constitution.
