Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa dismisses call to extend his tenure
His remarks come amid growing calls within Zanu-PF to amend the constitution to allow him to remain in power until 2030.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has reiterated that he will step down when his second term ends in 2028, rejecting proposals from the ruling Zanu-PF party to extend his tenure beyond the constitutional limit.
“I am a constitutionalist. I have my two terms. When they come to an end, the country and the party will move on by electing my successor,” Mnangagwa said during a briefing with local editors aired on state television Monday.
His remarks come amid growing calls within Zanu-PF to amend the constitution to allow him to remain in power until 2030. In October 2024, the party passed a resolution to scrap presidential term limits, despite Mnangagwa previously stating multiple times that he would not serve beyond his second term.
In January, party officials declared their intent to initiate steps to amend the 2013 constitution, which limits presidents to two five-year terms. The opposition has strongly opposed any amendments, calling them an assault on democracy.
Stability
Supporters of the proposed extension argue that Mnangagwa’s leadership has spearheaded significant projects in infrastructure, economic growth, agriculture, and mining. They claim his continued rule would ensure the stability of these initiatives.
Despite these calls, Mnangagwa made it clear that he would not be swayed.
“It’s not imaginable that there is anybody in the country who can push me. I feel very uncomfortable. I am very solid,” he stated. “I thought you were putting it very clearly— that I am very clear, that I have two terms, and these terms are very definite, and I am so democratic. When they come to an end, I will step aside, and my party will elect my successor—that is as clear as day.”
Mnangagwa, 82, rose to power in 2017 following a military coup that ousted long-time ruler Robert Mugabe. At the time, he pledged to serve only two terms. The constitutional term limits he now upholds were introduced in 2013 as part of reforms agreed upon by Zanu-PF and the opposition during an inclusive government.
However, critics argue that Mnangagwa’s government has already undermined constitutional democracy. In 2021, his administration introduced 27 amendments to the constitution, which analysts described as a move toward “authoritarian consolidation and democratic erosion.”
Despite his assurances, scepticism remains. Opposition leaders and civil society groups remain wary, noting that political shifts within Zanu-PF could still lead to an attempt to overturn term limits.
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