Zanu-PF youths to resist raising presidential age limit

ZANU-PF youths have vowed to resist any move to increase the presidential age limit for contestants from the current 40, describing the proposal as "selfish, evil" and potentially self-defeating, NewZimbabwe.com reported.

"We will be engaging the leadership on the alleged proposal to raise the presidential age," said Zanu-PF youth league political commissar Godfrey Tsenengamu in an interview.

"Why punish innocent generations, its alien to Zanu-PF and it won't see the light of the day."

Constitutionally, anyone aged 40 and above can run for president but some ruling party officials have called for the limit to be raised.

Senior party officials such as Joseph Chinotimba and Lovemore Matuke have already indicated that the ruling party might use its parliamentary majority to force the necessary constitutional amendment.

Tsenengamu was however emphatic that ruling party youths would oppose the amendment.

"We will resist such efforts to amend the constitution; such a move is selfish to an innocent generation," he said.

"As youth we voted President Emmerson Mnangagwa despite the fact that he is way above 40. We did not vote for age but for a progressive leader."

He added; "We will still vote for him (Mnangagwa) in 2023, so why waste time on an amendment which is not necessary?

"Imagine a situation, even in the very distant future, when there will be a popular candidate below the proposed age limit, and maybe within the party, then not having the two thirds majority in parliament to bring back the 40 years."