Why Zimbabwe’s President Mnangagwa Faces Coup Pressure

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa is now facing serious pressure to step down. For the first time in many years, these calls are coming from inside his own party, not just the opposition. With fights inside the ruling party, fears of a military takeover, and plans to stay in power beyond 2028, Zimbabwe is heading into a new political crisis.

A Big Fight Inside ZANU-PF

The ruling party, ZANU-PF, has been in power since Zimbabwe became independent in 1980. But now, it is divided.

• One side supports President Mnangagwa, who is 82 years old.

• The other side supports Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who is 68.

  
  

When Mnangagwa took power in 2017, he promised better leadership. But many people say nothing has changed. The economy is still poor, and corruption is high. Now, even people inside his party are saying it’s time for new leadership.

Can He Stay President After 2028?

Zimbabwe’s constitution allows a president to stay in office for only two terms. Mnangagwa is now in his second term, which will end in 2028.

But some people close to him want him to stay until 2030. This idea has made many people angry and worried. Experts say he has also removed some top military leaders to stop anyone from trying to remove him by force.

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Protests From His Own Party

On Monday, something very unusual happened. People from Mnangagwa’s own party took to the streets to protest against him.

This is the first time in a long while that ZANU-PF members have openly called for him to resign. Many people are now asking:

• Is Mnangagwa losing support?

• Could there be another military takeover?

Even before this political crisis, Zimbabwe has been struggling. The country is facing:

• Very high inflation

• Few jobs

• Poor services like water and electricity

• A weak economy

Many Zimbabweans feel hopeless. Blessing Vava, who leads the human rights group Crisis Zimbabwe, said:

What Could Happen Next?

If Mnangagwa refuses to leave, and keeps removing people who disagree with him, the situation could get worse. Zimbabwe has seen a military takeover before. In fact, that is how Mnangagwa came to power in 2017.

Now, the country may face another big moment of change.