By Agencies
In what marks the formal launch of a coordinated nationwide campaign, political and traditional leaders in the Midlands Province have officially declared that President Emmerson Mnangagwa should remain in power for life.
Framing their mandate around the rapid economic expansion of the Second Republic, provincial figures signaled that the political drive—headlined as the ED2030 movement—begins in the Midlands but is structured to cascade across all nine remaining provinces as a unified national agenda.
The provincial leadership grounded its life-tenure endorsement on measurable local economic milestones, noting that Midlands is now ranked first nationally in rural Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and accounts for 12% of the country’s overall economic output.
Spearheaded by Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Owen Ncube, officials praised the administration’s infrastructure record as tangible justification for extending executive rule. Minister Ncube was credited with driving regional development by overseeing projects including the establishment of a new School of Nursing in Gokwe, a Law School in Kwekwe, decentralized passport offices in Shurugwi, modern shopping complexes, and expanded mining operations that employ thousands of residents.
The political significance of the Midlands declaration was further elevated by Chief Gwesela, who asserted that the province holds historical and political custody over the push to extend President Mnangagwa’s term beyond 2030. Addressing local stakeholders, Chief Gwesela warned political factions elsewhere in the country against attempting to hijack or reframe the political movement for personal ambition.
“The ED2030 agenda started in Midlands and the people want President Mnangagwa to rule beyond 2030,” Chief Gwesela stated. “Political opportunists from Harare must shut up and stop claiming that they are the ones who started the ED2030 movement.”
By taking the lead, Midlands leadership has established the baseline narrative that the push for life incumbency is rooted in grassroots economic approval rather than top-down constitutional manipulation. Pointing to localized developments, traditional and political authorities argue that citizens across rural communities are benefiting directly from the government’s infrastructure drive, rendering standard leadership succession unnecessary.
The public declaration from the Midlands represents the first step in a strategic, province-by-province rollout. Party structures and provincial provincial ministers across Masvingo, Mashonaland, Matabeleland, and Manicaland are expected to follow suit in rapid succession, adopting the Midlands resolution to generate an apparent nationwide groundswell.
By building momentum from the President’s home province outward, organizers aim to present the lifetime presidency initiative to national party bodies as a spontaneous, non-negotiable directive from rural voters and traditional authorities nationwide.
