ZANU PF’S CONSTITUTIONAL COUP: MNANGAGWA PLOTS TO RULE BEYOND 2028

Zimbabwe is once again on the brink of democratic collapse. At its recent annual conference in Mutare, the ruling ZANU PF party shamelessly resolved to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term beyond his constitutional limit of 2028 to 2030. What we are witnessing is not reform, not continuity, not stability — but a brazen constitutional coup, a crude power grab dressed in the language of legal process.

ZANU PF’s legal affairs secretary, Ziyambi Ziyambi, declared that the party has already directed him to initiate a legislative amendment that would pave the way for Mnangagwa to remain in power. This is not just an internal party issue — it’s a national crisis. The constitution is clear: two terms, no more. Yet the very party that once claimed to liberate Zimbabwe now tramples the democratic gains we’ve fought so hard to protect.

Worse still, this is happening amid deepening factional tensions within ZANU PF. Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is reportedly opposed to Mnangagwa’s extension plan, intensifying a bitter succession battle that has long been simmering beneath the surface. Rather than focus on healing a broken economy or improving citizens’ lives, the ruling elite is fighting over who gets to loot longer.

Civil society, legal experts, and the opposition have swiftly condemned this move as unconstitutional. Legal scholars insist that such an amendment requires not one, but two referenda — a process ZANU PF is desperate to avoid. Why? Because even they know the people would reject it. A referendum could be Mnangagwa’s Waterloo. It could unravel the fragile grip ZANU PF has on power and finally open the door to its collapse after 45 years of corrupt rule.

Mnangagwa has previously claimed he would step down in 2028, honoring the constitution. But his silence now speaks volumes. He has not distanced himself from the party’s latest resolution, and his allies are clearly working under his directive. This betrayal of principle mirrors what he once condemned in Robert Mugabe, the man he ousted in a 2017 coup for overstaying his welcome. Now Mnangagwa is following the same script — overstaying, overreaching, and overthrowing the constitution from within.

What is happening in Zimbabwe is not isolated. It reflects a dangerous trend across Africa. In the past two decades, 14 countries have removed or extended presidential term limits. In places like Rwanda and Ivory Coast, leaders clung to power under the pretext of continuity and reform. In others like Togo, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea, entire political systems were rewritten to entrench authoritarian dynasties. Mnangagwa is merely following in their footsteps — a dictator in the making, desperate to protect his power, his wealth, and the impunity of his cronies.

Term limits are not a technicality; they are a cornerstone of democracy. They create the space for renewal, for leadership accountability, for governments to serve the people instead of themselves. Zimbabwe learned this the hard way under Mugabe’s 37-year rule. After years of decay, repression, and economic ruin, we built term limits into our constitution to ensure no leader would ever again hold the nation hostage. And now, Mnangagwa is tearing that down for personal gain.

According to Afrobarometer, over 75% of Africans support term limits. Ordinary citizens want change, not permanent rulers. But those in power don’t care. They want to die in office. This is what tyranny looks like — and it’s unfolding before our eyes.

We must not allow this constitutional coup to go unchallenged. Zimbabwe deserves better. We fought for a future free from dictators, not a recycled strongman trying to drag us backwards. If we let this slide, the next stop isn’t 2030 — it’s forever.