Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF party on Saturday approved steps to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term by two years, potentially keeping him in office until 2030.
Delegates at the party’s annual conference in Mutare cheered as the motion passed.
Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, who also serves as ZANU-PF’s legal secretary, said the resolution directs the government to “initiate the requisite legislative amendments” to implement the plan.
Under the current constitution, Mnangagwa is due to step down in 2028 after completing two five-year terms. Any extension would require amending term-limit provisions and could also require a referendum, legal experts say.
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Mnangagwa rose to power in 2017 after a coup that removed long-time leader Robert Mugabe.
He was later elected president in a disputed 2018 vote and re-elected in 2023. After that election, he described himself as a “constitutionalist” and said he would not seek a third term.
Despite that pledge, factions loyal to Mnangagwa have pushed for an extension. The move has divided opinion inside ZANU-PF.
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Allies of Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, a key figure in the 2017 transition, oppose any change that would keep Mnangagwa in office past 2028.
Opposition figures dismissed the party resolution. Nelson Chamisa, former leader of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), said the decision binds only ZANU-PF members and not the wider nation.
Human Rights Watch has accused Mnangagwa’s government of repressing civil and political rights in the run-up to the 2023 poll. Critics say any attempt to alter term limits will deepen Zimbabwe’s political tensions.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
