ZCC Council of Elders Defies Constitution, Urges President Mnangagwa to Extend Rule

In a move that has sparked widespread debate, the Zimbabwe Christian Council (ZCC) Council of Elders, led by Archbishop Nehemiah Mutendi, has called for President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa to remain in power beyond his constitutional limit. Speaking at Mbungo in Masvingo yesterday, Archbishop Mutendi declared that President Mnangagwa was chosen by God to be Zimbabwe’s leader for many more years, urging him not to relinquish power. The statement was met with applause from the gathered elders, signaling strong support for the controversial proposition.

This unprecedented endorsement comes amid increasing calls within the ruling Zanu PF party to amend the Constitution, allowing President Mnangagwa to extend his rule beyond 2028. The push for constitutional changes was a key resolution at Zanu PF’s 2024 Annual National People’s Conference, where party members agreed to explore mechanisms that could see the President’s term prolonged.

Justice Minister and Zanu PF Politburo member Cde Ziyambi Ziyambi recently reaffirmed that the proposed amendment was a decision made by the party’s general membership and not a personal initiative by the President. Addressing the party’s Mashonaland West Provincial Coordinating Committee, Cde Ziyambi dismissed suggestions that President Mnangagwa was personally behind the push, insisting that he remains committed to constitutionalism. However, he emphasized that Zanu PF was acting in accordance with the party resolution adopted at its conference in Bulawayo last year.

The ZCC’s endorsement of this political maneuver has raised eyebrows, with critics questioning the church’s involvement in constitutional matters. Zimbabwe’s current Constitution, adopted in 2013, limits a president to two five-year terms, a provision meant to prevent indefinite rule. However, growing support from religious leaders and Zanu PF structures suggests that the push for an amendment is gaining momentum.

As debates intensify, the question remains whether President Mnangagwa will heed the calls from both his party and influential religious leaders or uphold the constitutional provisions that currently limit his tenure.