by NQOBANI MATIBELA
GWANDA – PRESSURE is mounting on President Emmerson Mnangagwa and sections of the ruling ZANU-PF party amid growing concerns over reported plans to amend Zimbabwe’s Constitution to extend the presidential term limit without a referendum or broad public consultation.
At the centre of the latest opposition response is the Zimbabwe African National Congress (ZANC), which has firmly rejected any attempt to alter the supreme law of the land without the direct involvement of citizens.
Responding to questions from Matabele Today, ZANC President Timothy Mncube stressed that constitutional reform must be rooted in popular will and democratic safeguards.
“Our position is that constitutional reforms must prioritise the will of the people, uphold democratic values, and safeguard checks and balances. Any amendment process should be inclusive, transparent, and subjected to wide public consultation — and where necessary, a referendum — to ensure it truly reflects the aspirations of Zimbabweans,” said Mncube.
He emphasised that Zimbabwe’s Constitution is the supreme law and reflects the collective will of the people.
According to Mncube, any move to alter how a president is elected — including proposals that would give Parliament authority to elect the Head of State — would mark a significant departure from Zimbabwe’s long-standing democratic practice of direct presidential elections.
“Zimbabweans are accustomed to directly electing their President, and any change to that system must be carefully debated to ensure it strengthens, rather than weakens, democratic participation and accountability,” Mncube argued.
ZANC also rejected suggestions from some ZANU-PF lawmakers to extend the presidential term from five to seven years, warning that longer terms without electoral recourse could dilute accountability.
“While some may argue it allows for policy continuity and long-term planning, it is important that such changes do not undermine the principles of regular accountability and the people’s right to frequently assess their leadership through elections,” Mncube said.
He added: “As a party, we remain committed to constitutionalism, democratic governance, and protecting the rights of citizens to choose their leaders in a fair and credible manner.”
Other opposition parties have also voiced strong reservations.
The National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), led by constitutional law expert Lovemore Madhuku, has long argued that tampering with the Constitution for political expediency erodes democratic foundations.
Madhuku has consistently maintained that presidential term limits are a safeguard against authoritarianism and must not be weakened without a direct mandate from the people.
Fadzayi Mahere of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has similarly criticised any attempt to amend term limits without a referendum, describing such moves as a betrayal of the spirit of the 2013 Constitution, which was adopted through a nationwide consultative process.
Douglas Mwonzora, leader of a faction of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), has also stressed that constitutional amendments must comply strictly with procedural and democratic requirements, warning that sidelining voters risks deepening political instability.
In Matabeleland, Paul Siwela of the Matabeleland Liberation Organisation (MLO) has framed the issue as one of self-determination and governance legitimacy, arguing that any erosion of electoral rights disproportionately affects historically marginalised communities.
Political analysts warn that removing or weakening the people’s direct role in electing a president would concentrate power within Parliament — particularly if dominated by one party — and diminish citizens’ ability to hold leaders accountable through the ballot box.
Democratic systems rely on regular, competitive elections to renew or withdraw public trust. Curtailing that process risks entrenching power and weakening institutional checks and balances.
As debate intensifies, opposition leaders insist that Zimbabwe’s constitutional order must not be reshaped without the clear, informed and direct consent of its citizens.
