The ruling party’s Central Committee has endorsed President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the party’s first secretary and presidential candidate in 2023.
The Central Committee, the highest decision-making body outside Congress, is expected to dissolve the outgoing Politburo and Central Committee on Saturday.
Chris Mutsvangwa, the party’s information secretary, said, “We discussed many resolutions and one of them was one being that the president is the sole candidate for our forthcoming elections. He is doing a fantastic job. Why should we change a man with accolades of performance in every aspect of life. The Central Committee is happy with his performance.”
Mnangagwa is expected to choose an new Politburo from the oncoming Central Committee members.
In the run up to the Congress, indications were that Vice President Constantino Chiwenga would challenge Mnangagwa for the post of first secretary, which translates to being nominated for the next presidential election.
Chiwenga was the first one to officially announce that Mnangagwa has been endorsed by all party provinces.
He told the gathering that “we are all happy about his performance and so there is no reason for the party to hold elections for the post of first secretary.”
Mnangagwa, Chiwenga and others toppled the late former President Robert Mugabe in a defacto military coup in 2017.