Generals, ED In Heated Exchange

5 June 2026National news updates
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By A Correspondent — Retired generals have reportedly exchanged harsh words with President Emmerson Mnangagwa over Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3), amid growing tensions over the controversial proposals and the so-called “2030 agenda.”

The retired officials disclosed that they met President Mnangagwa on 18 and 19 May to discuss their concerns regarding the constitutional amendment process. However, they said the engagements yielded no meaningful progress.

According to a statement released on Monday, the group claimed that Mnangagwa responded to their objections by saying, “whoever wins, wins,” a remark they interpreted as dismissive of concerns raised by citizens, war veterans andsome members of the ruling ZANU-PF party.

The allegations were made in a statement led by retired Air Marshal Henry Muchena, who employed language reminiscent of the November 2017 military intervention that removed former President Robert Mugabe from power.During that period, military commanders said they were targeting “criminals surrounding the President” rather than the Head of State himself.

In the latest statement, a group of retired military generals, war veterans and former senior civil servants accused a powerful faction surrounding President Mnangagwa of driving the constitutional amendment process for political purposes. They alleged that the President is aware of, and stands to benefit from, the proposed changes.Politics

The group further claimed that businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei is financing efforts to secure parliamentary approval of CAB3.

Among those named in the statement are Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube, Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, Presidential Chief Secretary Martin Rushwaya, ICT Minister Tatenda Mavetera, ZANU-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa, businessman Wicknell Chivayo, Mabvuku-Tafara legislator Scott Sakupwanya, Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe and presidential adviser Paul Tungwarara.

According to the retired officials, Tagwirei allegedly convened a closed-door meeting during Mavetera’s 40th birthday celebrations attended by senior government and ruling party figures.

The group alleged that discussions centred on a US$31 million fund purportedly earmarked to secure parliamentary support for CAB3. They further claimed that individual Members of Parliament were to receive US$50,000 each in exchange for backing the constitutional amendment.

The statement also alleged that provincial ZANU-PF chairpersons received vehicles and cash payments of US$100,000 each to mobilise support for the proposed constitutional changes.


No documentary evidence was publicly produced to support the allegations. At the time of publication, neither Tagwirei, Ncube, Ziyambi, Rushwaya, Mavetera nor the Office of the President had publicly responded to the claims.

The retired officials accused the government of pursuing constitutional amendments designed to serve political interests rather than the national interest. They also rejected the parliamentary consultation process on CAB3, describing it as “choreographed” and alleging that some citizens were pressured into signing letters supporting the proposed amendments.

According to the statement, the group formally petitioned Parliament in March and called for a national referendum on CAB3, arguing that significant constitutional changes should be decided directly by Zimbabwean citizens. They claim that their petition has not received a response.Zimbabwe travel guide

The intervention by retired military officers has attracted attention because of the historic role played by Zimbabwe’s security establishment in national politics.

In November 2017, then Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander General Constantino Chiwenga announced that the military was targeting “criminals surrounding the President” amid escalating factional battles within ZANU-PF. Although the military denied staging a coup, the intervention ultimately led to Mugabe’s resignation and Mnangagwa’s rise to power.

Political analysts say the latest statement mirrors the language and political framing used during that period and may reflect growing tensions within sections of ZANU-PF, liberation war networks and retired members of the security establishment.

The dispute comes amid intensifying debate over the so-called “2030 agenda,” a political project critics argue seeks to extend Mnangagwa’s political influence beyond his constitutionally prescribed final term.

The retired generals concluded by urging Members of Parliament to reject CAB3 and called on Zimbabweans across political divides to defend the country’s constitutional order.

“The Constitution belongs to the people of Zimbabwe and not to any individual, political party or temporary office holder,” the statement said.