Online Reporter
Fidelis Munyoro, [email protected]
THE Constitutional Court has set February 9, 2026, as the date to hear an application challenging Zanu-PF’s Resolution 1 of 2024 aimed at extending President Mnangagwa’s tenure to 2030.
The legal battle pits the Government and its constitutional interpretation against a civic group determined to defend the constitutional limits on presidential terms.
The resolution, adopted unanimously at Zanu-PF’s annual conference, seeks to extend President Mnangagwa’s term to 2030.
Party officials led by the ruling party’s national Commissar Cde Munyaradzi Machacha argue the proposed amendments are lawful, procedural and necessary for political stability and economic progress.
However, the case, brought by Ibhetshu LikaZulu and its secretary-general Mbuso Fuzwayo, seeks to block any steps toward amending Sections 95(2)(b) and 143(1) of the Constitution.
The applicants argue that such amendments circumvent the requirement for a national referendum under Section 328(7). They claim Zanu-PF’s resolutions erode public participation and violate constitutional safeguards.
The Government and Zanu-PF, named among the respondents, insist the application is premature and speculative, as no formal amendment process has begun.
The legal arguments hinge on the interpretation of Section 328 of the Constitution, which governs amendments to presidential terms. Zanu-PF asserts that the resolution targets term length provisions amendable under Section 328(5), avoiding the fixed-term limits outlined in Section 328(7) that would require a referendum.
The party insists its actions remain within the framework of constitutionalism, with public hearings and legislative scrutiny guaranteed before any amendment is enacted.
derick.khumalo