The
group
said
the
ruling
party’s
resolution,
adopted
at
its
22nd
Annual
National
People’s
Conference
held
in
Mutare
recently,
poses
a
grave
threat
to
constitutional
democracy
and
signals
a
deepening
authoritarian
turn.
Zanu
PF’s
resolution,
identified
as
Resolution
Number
1,
seeks
to
extend
President
Mnangagwa’s
current
presidential
term
beyond
its
constitutional
limit
set
to
end
in
2028.
According
to
the
party’s
legal
secretary
and
Justice
Minister
Ziyambi
Ziyambi,
the
Ministry
of
Justice
was
directed
to
fast-track
the
necessary
constitutional
amendments
by
October
2026.
If
passed,
this
amendment
would
effectively
cancel
the
2028
election,
possibly
stretching
the
current
administration
and
President
Mnangagwa’s
second
term
to
2030.
Ibhetshu
LikaZulu
Secretary
General,
Mbuso
Fuzwayo,
said
Zimbabweans
have
a
legal
and
moral
duty
to
defend
the
2013
Constitution
from
manipulation
by
political
elites.
“This
naked
attempt
to
manipulate
the
Constitution
represents
an
assault
on
Zimbabwe’s
democracy
and
a
betrayal
of
the
aspirations
of
millions
who
sacrificed
for
a
democratic,
accountable
and
prosperous
Zimbabwe,”
said
Fuzwayo,
as
Ibhetshu
LikaZulu
joins
other
civic
movements
who
are
concerned
about
Zanu
PF’s
apparent
intent
to
rewrite
the
Constitution
for
political
expediency.
Fuzwayo
said
Zimbabwe’s
2013
Constitution,
adopted
through
a
people-driven
process,
was
not
meant
to
be
used
as
a
political
tool
to
perpetuate
one
leader’s
stay
in
power.
“The
Constitution
of
Zimbabwe,
adopted
in
2013
through
a
people-driven
process,
clearly
limits
presidential
terms
to
two.
Any
attempt
to
amend
this
sacred
provision
through
a
partisan
parliamentary
vote
undermines
the
sovereign
will
of
the
people
and
erodes
constitutionalism,
the
very
foundation
of
democratic
governance,”
he
said.
“Such
a
move
is
not
only
legally
questionable
but
morally
reprehensible.
It
turns
Parliament
into
an
instrument
of
authoritarian
consolidation
rather
than
a
guardian
of
the
people’s
mandate.
The
proposed
amendment
would
signal
that
Zimbabwe’s
leadership
sees
itself
above
the
law
and
above
the
people.”
The
Ibhetshu
LikaZulu
SG
called
for
a
broad-based
civic
mobilisation
to
stop
what
he
described
as
an
unconstitutional
extension
of
power.
“Ibhetshu
LikaZulu
calls
upon
all
Zimbabweans,
workers,
students,
churches,
civil
society,
traditional
leaders
and
the
diaspora
to
use
every
democratic
instrument
available
to
resist
this
unconstitutional
extension
of
power,”
he
said.
“We
must
defend
the
2013
Constitution,
the
product
of
national
consensus
and
struggle,
from
being
mutilated
to
serve
personal
ambition.”
Fuzwayo
said
extending
President
Mnangagwa’s
rule
would
not
benefit
citizens
but
rather
entrench
corruption,
economic
decline,
and
repression.
“Instead,
it
entrenches
the
continuation
of
grand
corruption
and
looting
of
national
resources;
economic
decay
and
rising
poverty,
as
Zimbabwe
sinks
deeper
into
crisis;
suppression
of
dissent,
human
rights
abuses,
and
the
closure
of
democratic
space;
and
institutional
collapse,
as
state
organs
are
captured
to
protect
political
elites,”
he
said.
He
added
that
Zanu
PF’s
move
was
a
self-serving
attempt
to
preserve
the
priviledges
of
the
ruling
elite,
not
to
address
the
country’s
pressing
challenges.
“This
resolution
seeks
to
secure
the
privileges
of
the
few
at
the
expense
of
the
many,
a
continuation
of
national
suffering
disguised
as
political
stability,”
Fuzwayo
said.
Fuzwayo
also
urged
Members
of
Parliament,
including
those
within
Zanu
PF,
to
uphold
their
oath
of
office
and
reject
any
proposed
bill
or
motion
that
seeks
to
extend
Mnangagwa’s
presidency.
“History
will
not
absolve
those
who
aid
the
dismantling
of
constitutional
democracy,”
Fuzwayo
said.
Fuzwayo
maintained
that
Zimbabwe’s
crisis
was
not
one
of
leadership
tenure
but
of
governance
failure
and
corruption.
“Zimbabwe
does
not
need
another
extended
presidency.
It
needs
accountability,
rule
of
law,
jobs,
service
delivery
and
a
functioning
economy,”
he
said.
“The
attempt
to
manipulate
the
Constitution
for
personal
and
factional
benefit
must
be
resisted
with
unity,
courage,
and
constitutional
patriotism.
The
people
of
Zimbabwe
deserve
better
than
a
recycled
dictatorship.”
If
implemented,
this
constitutional
amendment
could
mark
the
second
major
alteration
to
presidential
term
limits
after
the
2021
changes
under
Constitutional
Amendment
No.
2,
which
expanded
executive
powers
and
allowed
the
President
to
appoint
judges
beyond
retirement
age.