Politics in Africa is frequently overshadowed by controversies, with recent elections across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region sparking widespread debate. Discussions of voter suppression and electoral rigging have dominated headlines in countries like Mozambique, Botswana, Ghana, Namibia, and South Africa. However, election manipulation is just one of many governance issues that continue to plague the continent.
In Zimbabwe, the ruling Zanu-PF party has drawn fresh controversy by seeking to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term in office by two years, aiming to keep him in power until 2030. Farai Marapira, the party’s director of information, confirmed the party’s position but did not clarify whether constitutional amendments would be pursued to facilitate the extension. Zimbabwe’s constitution currently restricts presidents to two five-year terms, meaning Mnangagwa’s second and final term would end in 2028.
“The modalities have not been decided,” Marapira said when asked if the term limit would be adjusted from five to seven years. While Mnangagwa has publicly stated his intent to step down after his term concludes, the idea of scrapping term limits was floated during a Zanu-PF conference in October 2023.
Zimbabwe’s history with prolonged presidential rule is well documented. Robert Mugabe, the country’s first leader after independence in 1980, remained in power for 37 years. As prime minister until 1987 and later as president, Mugabe openly championed a one-party state, suppressing opposition through violence and intimidation. Although a new constitution was signed into law in 2013, introducing a two-term limit, Mugabe would have remained eligible to serve until 2023 if not for the 2017 military coup that installed Mnangagwa as his successor.
The prospect of altering Zimbabwe’s constitution raises complex legal questions. Constitutional lawyer Welshman Ncube noted that even if term limits were abolished, the current constitution prevents amendments from benefiting an incumbent president. “Mnangagwa would need two referendums — one to remove term limits and another to allow an incumbent to benefit from the change,” Ncube explained. Similarly, lawyer Lovemore Madhuku stressed that no legal framework currently exists to extend Mnangagwa’s term beyond 2028.
The push to entrench presidential power is not unique to Zimbabwe. According to a 2023 study by Scientific Research Publishing, 24 African governments have attempted to extend their leaders’ time in office since 1990 by eliminating term limits. Alarmingly, 20 of these efforts succeeded, raising serious concerns about democratic backsliding on the continent.
Mnangagwa’s political future remains uncertain, but Zimbabwe’s unfolding debate over term limits serves as a stark reminder of the enduring struggle between constitutional democracy and entrenched political dominance in Africa.