Mnangagwa to clear path for ED2030 amendments

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to pave the way for the publication of constitutional amendments aimed at extending his tenure beyond the 2028 two-term limit to 2030 when he returns from annual leave early next month, a Cabinet minister has told a local news website.

In a written response to questions, the minister said preparations for Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 were complete and only awaited the President's return for final Cabinet clearance.

"We are waiting for the President to return from his annual leave to get Cabinet to table and then clear Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 after necessary scrutiny by its committee on legislation. The drafting has been done and dusted," the minister said.

According to the minister, once Cabinet approves the draft Bill, the Speaker of the National Assembly will be required to publish the precise terms of the proposed amendment in the Government Gazette. The Bill cannot be introduced in Parliament until at least 90 days after publication to allow for public scrutiny.

During that period, Parliament must invite written submissions and conduct public hearings to gather citizen input. Thereafter, the Bill must be passed by a two-thirds majority in both the National Assembly and the Senate before being sent to the President for assent.

The minister insisted that no referendum would be required.

"There is no referendum required in this case as we have been arguing for months now. This process, as far as we are concerned, does not need a referendum, just a two-thirds majority in Parliament - in the National Assembly and Senate," he said.

Zanu PF currently holds a commanding two-thirds majority in Parliament following recent electoral gains and the weakening of the opposition, giving the ruling party the numerical strength to pass constitutional amendments.

However, the proposed extension remains highly contested both politically and legally. Section 328(7) of the Constitution stipulates that any amendment extending a presidential term limit must be approved through a national referendum and cannot benefit the incumbent.

To allow President Mnangagwa to benefit, legal experts argue that Section 328(7) itself would have to be amended or repealed - a process that would require a referendum. Some constitutional lawyers contend that this could necessitate two separate referenda: one to alter the term-limit protection clause and another to permit the incumbent to benefit.

Three main legal arguments have emerged around the issue. The first holds that extending Mnangagwa's tenure would require a two-thirds parliamentary majority plus two referenda.

A second argument suggests an alternative route: amending Section 95, which defines the five-year length of a presidential term, rather than Section 91, which limits a president to two terms. Proponents of this view argue that extending a term from five to seven years may not trigger the referendum requirement tied to term limits, potentially allowing Mnangagwa to remain in office until 2030 by lengthening his final term.

A third argument posits that there is a legal loophole in the Constitution that could be exploited to extend the President's stay in office without a referendum by altering the duration of a term rather than removing term limits altogether.

The developments come amid heightened succession tensions within Zanu PF. Vice-President Kembo Mohadi is currently Acting President for the second time in as many weeks, from January 14, 2026, until Mnangagwa's expected return in early February. Mohadi had previously acted as President from December 23 to December 31, 2025, while co-Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga acted from January 1 to January 13, 2026.

Political observers note that Mohadi has now spent more time as Acting President than Chiwenga during Mnangagwa's leave, a development occurring against the backdrop of a fierce succession battle within the ruling party.

As Mnangagwa's return approaches, attention is expected to focus sharply on Cabinet's next moves and the constitutional, political and public fallout from any attempt to extend his rule beyond 2028.