2030 agenda sparks political storm

A controversial Zanu-PF initiative to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa's term of office beyond the constitutionally mandated two-term limit has emerged as one of the most disruptive political issues in Zimbabwe's recent history.

The ruling party adopted a resolution at its annual conference seeking to extend Mnangagwa's tenure from its scheduled end in 2028 to 2030. Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, who also serves as Zanu-PF's legal secretary, has since been tasked with initiating the legal processes required to amend the Constitution and add two years to the president's term.

Although Mnangagwa has publicly stated that he is not interested in an extension, senior party officials insist that the so-called "2030 agenda" remains firmly on course.

Mnangagwa rose to power following the 2017 military-assisted intervention that ended Robert Mugabe's 37-year rule. He was elected in 2018 and secured a second term in 2023 in polls that were widely contested by the opposition and criticised by observers.

Political analyst Jealous Mawarire has described the 2030 agenda as a "dark chapter" in Zimbabwe's political history.

"There have been quite a lot of things happening, but the most important has been the attempt to extend the president's term of office from 2028 to 2030," Mawarire told HStv.

"That has been a major bone of contention. It has been one of the most disruptive introductions to our political discourse and dominated the whole of 2025. And it hasn't been fully explained why the president would want to extend his term to 2030."

Mawarire argued that the explanations offered so far have exposed the intentions of Mnangagwa's loyalists rather than addressing constitutional concerns.

"I have a right to discuss political developments in my country, and I have a right to challenge constitutional violations that I am seeing," he said.

"This has fundamental implications for political stability and economic stability in the country."

The 2030 agenda has now moved into the courts. A Bulawayo-based activist has filed an application with the Constitutional Court challenging the legality of extending Mnangagwa's term of office. The matter is expected to be heard next week, setting the stage for a landmark legal battle over presidential term limits and constitutionalism in Zimbabwe.