By Staff Reporter
Ruling party moves to amend Constitution as opposition vows legal battle
Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF party has launched a process to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term in office by two years, potentially allowing him to remain in power until 2030.
The proposal was endorsed on Saturday during the party’s annual conference in Mutare, where delegates directed the government to begin drafting constitutional amendments. Justice Minister and ZANU-PF legal secretary Ziyambi Ziyambi confirmed the move, signaling the start of what could be a contentious political process.
Mnangagwa, 83, is currently required by the Constitution to leave office in 2028 after serving two elected terms. Legal experts say any change would require not only parliamentary approval but possibly a national referendum.
Delegates broke into applause after the motion passed, reflecting ZANU-PF’s entrenched dominance since independence in 1980. With the party’s firm control of Parliament, it has the numbers to push the amendment through, though insiders caution that legal challenges are expected.
Although Mnangagwa has previously declared himself a “constitutionalist” with no desire to cling to power, loyalists have quietly campaigned for an extension since last year’s disputed elections. The push has exposed growing factionalism within the ruling party, pitting Mnangagwa’s allies against a rival faction loyal to Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.
Blessed Geza, a veteran of the liberation war and prominent Chiwenga ally, has openly criticized the proposal through popular YouTube livestreams, drawing thousands of viewers. Meanwhile, calls for mass demonstrations have largely failed to gain traction due to heavy police presence in Harare and other cities.
Mnangagwa avoided mentioning the term-extension issue in his closing remarks at the conference, while Chiwenga has remained silent on both the proposal and the growing dissent.
Source: Aljazeera
