Governance experts have warned that a renewed push to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term to 2037 risks undermining the country’s economic and political stability, reported NewsDay.
The warning follows recent calls by ZANU PF’s Harare and Masvingo provincial executives, which said Mnangagwa deserved to have his term extended beyond 2030.
Mnangagwa’s term was initially expected to end in 2028 before the passing of Constitutional Amendment Act Number 3, which extended his second term by two years to 2030.
Analyst Sydicks Muradzikwa said such statements are politically premature and risk prolonging the toxicity associated with Zimbabwe’s election cycles.
“If the rationale is that elections create instability, then repeatedly debating presidential term extension before CAA3 has even been fully implemented risks keeping the country in a constant state of political contestation rather than focusing on governance and economic delivery.
“Opening another debate on extending presidential tenure, especially when CAA3 is still in its infancy, undermines policy consistency,” Muradzikwa said.
“Priority must be implementation of agreed reforms rather than fresh controversies.”
Ricky Mukonza, a lecturer at Tshwane University of Technology, said the statements point to a leadership focused on holding onto power rather than national development.
“How do they even begin to talk about another amendment when CAA3 has just been approved?” he asked, warning that such loose talk risked undermining socio-economic stability.
Intelwatch executive director Piers Pigou described the calls as a “desperate sycophantic and clumsy effort to demonstrate relevance” in a patronage-driven political space.
“It’s not in Zimbabwe’s interest to even introduce this subject at this particular time,” he said.
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