Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu PF party has endorsed a proposal to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term by two years, potentially keeping him in power until 2030.
The resolution was passed at the party’s annual conference in Mutare, where delegates instructed the government to begin drafting legislation to amend the constitution, Justice Minister and Zanu PF legal secretary Ziyambi Ziyambi announced.
Mnangagwa, 83, is currently due to leave office in 2028 after completing two elected terms, as required by the constitution. Any extension would need a constitutional amendment, and possibly a national referendum legal experts say.
Delegates reportedly erupted in applause as the motion sailed through, reinforcing Zanu PF’s dominance over Zimbabwe’s political landscape since independence in 1980. The party holds a comfortable majority in parliament, giving it significant leverage to push through the proposed changes, though analysts warn of potential legal challenges.
Mnangagwa, who rose to power in 2017 after the ouster of Robert Mugabe, has previously described himself as a “constitutionalist” with no desire to cling to power. However, loyalists have been quietly lobbying for his extended stay since the disputed 2023 elections, while a rival faction aligned with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is said to oppose the move.
War veteran and Chiwenga ally Blessed Geza has openly criticised the plan in YouTube livestreams, drawing thousands of viewers. Meanwhile, calls for mass protests have largely fizzled under heavy police surveillance in Harare and other cities.
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The president did not address the term extension in his closing remarks at the conference, and Chiwenga has remained silent on the issue.
Mnangagwa’s administration has struggled with runaway inflation, unemployment, and corruption allegations. Critics accuse Zanu PF of eroding democratic institutions and turning elections into tightly controlled exercises.
Opposition figures have vowed to challenge any attempt to amend the constitution.
“We will defend the constitution against its capture and manipulation to advance an anti-people agenda,” opposition lawyer Tendai Biti said in a statement on X.
On Friday, police arrested ten elderly activists in Harare for allegedly organising a protest demanding Mnangagwa’s resignation. The group, aged mostly in their 60s and 70s, faces charges of inciting public violence and remains in custody pending a Monday bail hearing.
Earlier this year, authorities detained nearly 100 young activists in similar crackdowns.
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