ZANU PF gears up for amendments to allow Mnangagwa to continue beyond 2028’

ZANU PF Harare Province has appealed to relevant authorities to start making the necessary constitutional amendments to allow President Mnangagwa to continue in charge of the country beyond 2028 when his current term is due to expire.

This comes as the party is now gearing for the 21st Annual People’s Conference at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Grounds in Bulawayo from October 22 to 27.

Zanu PF Harare Province held its provincial inter-district conference yesterday to come up with draft resolutions that will be presented to the party leadership at the annual conference in Bulawayo.

One of the key draft resolutions made was to request relevant authorities to make necessary constitutional amendments to allow President Mnangagwa to continue with his work.

Speaking at the party headquarters yesterday, Zanu PF Harare provincial chairman Godwills Masimirembwa said the most critical resolution which came out of the provincial inter-district conference was that the province was “united in that President Mnangagwa should continue to lead the country beyond 2028”.

“The most critical issue which comes is that the Constitution of Zimbabwe must be amended to enable him to continue to lead beyond 2028,” he said.

“We are aware that there are constitutional limitations; first of all, it says the President serves for a maximum of two terms of five years each. There is that window of extending the number of years for each term, or tentatively we can remove the term limit from two terms to three terms or scrap the term limit altogether.”

Masimirembwa said the other limitation was that if a constitutional amendment was made, it could not benefit the incumbent.

“That as well could be amended to ensure that the incumbent, in other words President Mnangagwa, benefits from any constitutional amendment which increases the number of years of a term or which scraps term limits”.

Zanu PF Secretary for Education, Research and Ideology, Charles Tawengwa, said party structures from district level came up with draft resolutions, which will be presented at the conference, mainly calling for constitutional amendments to accommodate President Mnangagwa beyond 2028.

Zanu PF Deputy Secretary for Security Tendai Chirau said party structures were happy with the work being done by President Mnangagwa, hence the call for him to complete and realise Vision 2030.

The meeting was attended by Harare Province vice chairman Ephraim Fundukwa and other senior party members from district level up to Politburo members.

Zanu PF Mashonaland West also resolved yesterday that President Mnangagwa should continue in his position and see through his Vision 2030, among several other resolutions to be presented at the Annual People’s Conference.

The province has also stepped up restructuring and preparations for a by-election in Ward 11, Makande in Kariba District, following the death of the sitting councillor.

Preparations have also started for provincial members to attend the People’s Conference.

The party’s main, youth, war veterans and women’s wings, all resolved that President Mnangagwa’s execution of Vision 2030 priority projects should continue to maintain the development momentum.

The province’s resolutions were presented at the Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting in Nyabira, abut 35km out of Harare along Chinhoyi Road, yesterday.

Provincial chairman Mary Mliswa-Chikoka said the resolutions from the provincial party wings would be consolidated and presented in Bulawayo.

“All the wings in the province had the continuation of President Mnangagwa in his position as their top resolution,” said Cde Mliswa-Chikoka.

“Youths resolved that the youth quota in Parliament should be increased and at least 20 percent of all land allocations should be reserved for youths.”

The Women League resolved that laws to protect widows and children at farms against being dispossessed should be enacted.

Politburo member Ziyambi Ziyambi said the restructuring would be fully implemented to come up with authentic structures that had a bearing on the party’s performance in the next elections.

“We need to take the issue of restructuring seriously so that we come up with authentic structures that reflect our membership,” said Ziyambi.

Deputy National Secretary for the Commissariat Webster Shamu said the restructuring of the party should be done thoroughly according to the instructions of the party.

He summoned the province’s district coordinating committees to attend a meeting for appraisal of how the exercise should be undertaken.

Kariba district was commended for meeting deadlines and following laid down procedures in the restructuring.

The meeting was attended by members of Parliament, provincial members, Central Committee and Politburo members.

The Herald