Mnangagwa Says Presidential Term Extension Wasn’t His Idea

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Source: Mnangagwa Says Presidential Term Extension Wasn’t His Idea ⋆ Pindula News

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said that extending his second term by two years, from 2028 to 2030, was not his idea. Nor was it the idea of a ZANU PF faction, he said, but “a collective evolution of the political process”.

His comments follow the gazetting of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment Act Number 3 of 2026 last Tuesday.

The Amendment Act extends the electoral cycle from five years to seven years. It also introduces a parliamentary system for electing future presidents and expands the Senate from 80 to 90 members, the 10 being presidential appointees.

Speaking in an interview on Friday with senior State media journalists at State House in Harare, Mnangagwa said the wide-ranging constitutional changes were not the idea of any one individual.

“At the end of the day, it wasn’t an idea of an individual. It’s the collective evolution of our political system,” said Mnangagwa.

“You cannot attribute this to a particular individual or group of persons, but a collective evolution of the political process.

“As things evolve, you decide what is good for your country at a particular time. And there is no time when individual views — individualistic views — take the centre stage and leave a country.

“Generally, I believe that whatever we do, it must be a collective decision. I carry my Cabinet and the country on whatever decision we make.

“I don’t believe in individual persuasion or individual systems where the needs or the wishes of an individual take the day.

“No. I believe that whatever we do, it must be a collective decision so that whenever that decision is being challenged, it’s not only you who stands up to defend, but the entire system of Government defends what we decide.

Mnangagwa also said he was “very proud” to lead a country where people are well organised, hardworking and self-motivated at every level of society.

“To be honest, I feel that I am privileged as President of this country, because wherever I go, you find that our people, at every level, are committed to developing the country,” he said.

“What else would you want as a leader? I feel very proud. I can sleep comfortably with the type of country I lead.”