Why Zimbabwe Is Bracing for a New Power Struggle

Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has repeatedly insisted that he’ll retire when his second term comes to an end in 2028. Nonetheless, speculation continues to swirl that he could seek to extend his tenure beyond this constitutional limit. This is setting the stage for a potential power struggle if he refuses to pass on the presidential baton.

The prospect of Mnangagwa extending his stay in office has elicited public outrage and resulted in calls for mass protests at the end of March by veterans of the nation’s war against White-minority rule. While the demonstrations didn’t materialize — in part because the police were deployed in large numbers in the capital Harare and other cities to quell any unrest — many citizens voiced their disapproval with the government by staying away from work. Beyond political machinations, their anger has also been fermented by years of economic mismanagement and sky-high inflation.