Fuzwayo Rejects Claims He Is Helping Mnangagwa Extend Term

Ibhetshu Likazulu, secretary-general, Mbuso Fuzwayo, has rejected allegations that he is part of a ZANU-PF-backed plot to legitimise President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s alleged bid to extend his term beyond 2028.

Fuzwayo came under heavy criticism after approaching the Constitutional Court to challenge ZANU-PF’s plans to prolong President Mnangagwa’s stay in office.

His critics claimed he was orchestrating a “sham” court challenge designed to fail, thereby creating a legal pathway for ZANU-PF to amend the constitution to extend the presidential term.

In an interview with CITE, Fuzwayo dismissed the allegations, describing them as malicious attempts to tarnish his reputation.

He added that many of his detractors had supported President Mnangagwa when he came to power through the 2017 military intervention. Said Fuzwayo:

“These are jokes. Even Zanu is shocked that it can use me. Zanu does not come to where I am.

“Whoever thinks I have been sent by Zanu, I don’t know what they would have smoked, perhaps dangerous weed.

“Me and Zanu will never work for each other. I will never agree to be used by Zanu, especially knowing how Zanu abuses people.

“To me, Zanu is guilty of killing people, guilty of destroying the economy. Their priorities are misplaced.

“Look at the President giving out money when the country has no ambulances and sewers are bursting everywhere. There is nothing that can ever mix me with Zanu.”

Fuzwayo said the accusations were driven by opportunistic commentators and lawyers who misrepresented his constitutional challenge for personal gain and online attention.

He added that those claiming he was paid by ZANU-PF are simply accustomed to receiving funds from the ruling party themselves. Said Fuzwayo:

“Some are lawyers who have represented Zanu but pretend to be holy when speaking to the public. We know them.

“We never approved of Emmerson’s candidature when the coup was done in 2017.

“Yet some who are saying I was given money are the same ones who said, ‘let’s give him a chance.’

“We knew even then that giving Emmerson a chance would change nothing.

“Those who supported the coup are now pretending they hate him more than everyone.”

Critics of Fuzwayo’s Constitutional Court challenge have pointed to several factors to support their claims that he is fronting ZANU-PF.

They argued that Fuzwayo’s case is being handled by Nqobile Sithole, the same lawyer representing Sengezo Tshabangu, the self-proclaimed CCC secretary-general widely accused of collaborating with ZANU-PF. This overlap has fuelled suspicions that Fuzwayo’s challenge may have been coordinated with the ruling party’s interests.

Fuzwayo filed the case shortly after ZANU-PF’s Mutare conference formally resolved to extend President Mnangagwa’s term to 2030. Critics argue that the challenge was deliberately weak, designed to fail in court and establish a legal precedent favourable to ZANU-PF.

Adding to the controversy, Ibhetshu Likazulu spokesperson Gifford Sibanda resigned immediately after the application was filed, showing internal disagreement and mistrust over Fuzwayo’s motives.