HARARE, Zimbabwe — Zimbabwe’s Cabinet has approved draft legislation that could allow President Emmerson Mnangagwa to remain in office until at least 2030, setting the stage for a constitutional battle over presidential term limits.
The proposals would overhaul the current electoral framework by allowing Members of Parliament to elect the president instead of a direct popular vote. They would also extend presidential terms from five to seven years, with a maximum of two terms under the revised system.
Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said the government would conduct public consultations before the bill is tabled in Parliament. Both chambers are dominated by the ruling Zanu-PF party, raising expectations that the draft could pass if formally introduced.
Mnangagwa, 83, first assumed power in November 2017 after a military intervention forced long-time leader Robert Mugabe to resign. He won elections in 2018 and secured a second term in 2023, although opposition parties disputed the results. His current term is set to expire in 2028.
Legal experts argue that any attempt to alter presidential term limits requires a national referendum under Zimbabwe’s 2013 Constitution. They also contend that constitutional amendments cannot be applied retroactively to benefit a sitting president.
The 2013 Constitution was adopted through a referendum that overwhelmingly introduced term limits, at a time when Mugabe had ruled since independence in 1980 and faced growing domestic and international pressure.
Government officials maintain that the proposed reforms are aimed at strengthening governance and ensuring political stability.
Supporters within Zanu-PF argue that Mnangagwa needs more time to complete his “Agenda 2030” development programme.
The slogan “2030 he will still be the leader” has frequently echoed at party rallies over the past two years, even though Mnangagwa has publicly distanced himself from suggestions that he seeks to extend his tenure.
The proposal has also reignited internal tensions within Zanu-PF. Blessed Geza, a liberation war veteran and former member of the party’s central committee, had emerged as one of Mnangagwa’s most vocal critics.
Geza accused the president of nepotism and apologised for supporting his rise to power in 2017.
He was later expelled from Zanu-PF and continued criticising the administration from hiding, attracting a substantial following on social media.
Geza died last week in South Africa, according to his family. Hours before his death, a message posted on his social media accounts urged Zimbabweans to continue efforts to “remove President Mnangagwa and end the plunder of our country.”
His passing has added a charged political dimension to the unfolding constitutional debate.
Andrease Ethan Mathibela, national chairman of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association, described Geza as someone who chose “to speak out against corruption and nepotism that continue to undermine the promise of independence.”
