Mnangagwa’s alliance is pushing for an extension to his term until 2030, with ZANU and PF factions split and opposition parties promising a legal battle.
Published October 18, 2025
Zimbabwe’s governing party, ZANU-PF, has announced that it has begun the process of extending President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term by two years, potentially allowing him to remain in office until 2030.
The plan was approved on Saturday at the movement’s annual conference in the eastern city of Mutare, where delegates instructed the government to start drafting a constitutional amendment bill, said Jiyambi Jiyambi, Minister of Justice and ZANU-PF Attorney General.
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Mnangagwa, 83, is constitutionally required to serve two elected terms before retiring in 2028. Any changes would require a constitutional amendment and possibly a referendum, legal experts say.
After the motion was passed, delegates erupted in applause, reinforcing ZANU-PF’s pattern of securitization and control since independence in 1980. The party controls parliament, giving it significant influence, but some insiders warn that legal challenges are likely.
Mr Mnangagwa has previously claimed he is a “constitutionalist” and has no interest in clinging to power. But while supporters of the party have been quietly pushing for an extension since last year’s contentious general election, vice president Constantino Chiwenga and his rivals within the party are openly resisting an extension.
Blessed Geza, a Liberation War veteran and Chiwenga ally, used a YouTube livestream to denounce the push, attracting thousands of viewers. Amid heavy police deployment in Harare and other cities, calls for mass protests have gained little traction.
The president did not mention an extension in his closing remarks. Chiwenga has not commented on Mnangagwa’s bid to extend his term or the protests.
dire economic situation
Mnangagwa came to power in 2017 on promises of democracy and economic reform following the overthrow of longtime president Robert Mugabe.
Mnangagwa has presided over a disastrous economic collapse marked by hyperinflation, mass unemployment and allegations of corruption. Critics accuse ZANU-PF of suppressing dissent, weakening the judiciary and turning elections into controlled rituals rather than democratic elections.
Legal opposition officials have warned that any attempt to rewrite the constitution will face resistance in the courts.
“We will defend the Constitution against its capture and manipulation to promote dangerous, unconstitutional and anti-people policies,” opposition lawyer Tendai Biti said in a statement regarding X.
Ten elderly activists, most in their 60s and 70s, were arrested in Harare on Friday for allegedly planning a protest calling for Mnangagwa’s resignation.
They were charged with attempting to incite “public violence” and remain in custody pending a bail hearing on Monday. Earlier this year, authorities detained nearly 100 young people in similar situations.
The new maneuver exposed an escalating power struggle within ZANU-PF. One faction wants Mr Mnangagwa to remain in office until 2030. The other is preparing to take over Chiwenga, a former army general who helped overthrow Robert Mugabe in a 2017 coup.
