Days After Elections Were Pushed to 2030, ZANU-PF Voices Now Want Mnangagwa Until 2037
Thursday, 23 July 2026
By Atlantic Digest Africa Desk
Fresh political controversy has erupted in Zimbabwe after senior figures within the ruling ZANU-PF began advocating that President Emmerson Mnangagwa remain in office until 2037, only days after the country’s next harmonised elections were officially postponed from 2028 to 2030.
The calls followed the signing into law of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Act, 2026, which extends the tenure of the President, Members of Parliament and local government councillors by two years. The amendment has already generated intense debate over its implications for Zimbabwe’s constitutional order and democratic governance.
Addressing a “Thank You” rally in Epworth, Harare Province chairperson Godwills Masimirembwa announced that the provincial leadership would submit a resolution at the next ZANU-PF national conference proposing that Mnangagwa remain the party’s leader for an additional seven years beyond 2030.
Masimirembwa argued that continuity in leadership was necessary to sustain economic reforms, political stability and national development, insisting that the President should be given sufficient time to complete his agenda.
The proposal has, however, drawn immediate criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups, who accuse the ruling party of attempting to entrench power and weaken constitutional safeguards.
Several opposition organisations have already approached Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Court, challenging the legality of Amendment No. 3. They argue that both the substance of the amendment and the manner in which it was enacted violate constitutional principles and undermine democratic accountability.
Legal analysts note that while the amendment has shifted the election timetable to 2030, no formal proposal currently exists to extend President Mnangagwa’s tenure beyond that date. Neither the government nor Parliament has introduced legislation to that effect.
For now, the proposal to keep Mnangagwa in office until 2037 remains a party-level political initiative, rather than official government policy. Nevertheless, observers believe the campaign signals the beginning of what could become a prolonged constitutional and political contest ahead of Zimbabwe’s next electoral cycle.
The latest developments have intensified concerns among democracy advocates over the future of constitutional governance in Zimbabwe, where electoral reforms and presidential term limits have long remained contentious issues. As legal challenges proceed through the courts, the debate is expected to dominate the country’s political landscape in the months ahead.
