By Innocent Sibonginkosi Ncube |
Zim GBC News Editor
HARARE – The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) has launched a nationwide campaign, “Tinoida yakadaro, Siyifuna Injalo” (We want it like that), to counter growing calls from within the ruling ZANU PF party to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term beyond its constitutional limit.
The campaign was announced in a statement released on Thursday, September 4, 2025, following the Coalition’s Coordinating Committee meeting. The group called upon all citizens to resist what it termed “attempts to retain power beyond the constitutionally prescribed two five-year terms.”
The statement read,
“The meeting acknowledged the intensified efforts by the ruling ZANU PF party to expedite a presidential term extension while bypassing the requirement for a referendum. In response, the Coalition will continue mobilizing communities across the country to build a constitutional defense movement aimed at safeguarding the constitution from regressive amendments.”
The campaign specifically targets perceived efforts to alter the constitution without public consent, taking a strong stance against any tampering with provisions that legally require a national referendum to be changed.
The meeting also addressed the increasingly restrictive environment for civic organizations following the promulgation of the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Bill. The Coalition reported that the registration process for PVOs has become “highly securitized,” with interviews resembling interrogations.
“Many organizations reported that the nature of the questioning felt intrusive and often strayed far from topics pertinent to their areas of work,” the statement noted.
In defiance, Coalition members resolved to challenge the law in court rather than comply with the mandatory registration.
This development stands in direct opposition to recent comments from Minister of Local Government, Daniel Garwe, who has publicly reiterated that “the President must stay beyond 2028.” Garwe stated that there would be no elections until 2030, a move that contradicts the constitutional mandate for elections every five years.
Legal experts suggest that ZANU PF is attempting to use its parliamentary majority to postpone elections, thereby avoiding a risky referendum to amend presidential term limits. Some lawyers have condemned the strategy, calling it tantamount to “a coup against the constitution.”
The issue is expected to be a central topic at the upcoming ZANU PF annual conference scheduled for October 13-18 at Mutare Polytechnic, where Mnangagwa’s allies are reportedly planning to push the “2030 agenda.”
While President Mnangagwa has publicly stated he is not interested in extending his rule, his close allies are vigorously lobbying for an extension. The internal push is also seen as part of a broader succession battle between Mnangagwa and Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga.
Zim GBC News will continue to monitor this developing story.
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