A potential constitutional showdown looms following the submission of a petition to Parliament yesterday by FORUS President Manyara Muyenziwa, who is urging lawmakers to reject the “ED 2030” campaign.
The initiative, backed by factions within ZANU PF, seeks to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s tenure beyond the two-term limit enshrined in Zimbabwe’s Constitution.
In her petition addressed to Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda, and copied to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and the Ministry of Justice, Muyenziwa described the campaign as “a signal of constitutional defiance” and warned it aims to “change the rules mid-game to benefit one individual.”
She cited Sections 91(2) and 328(7) of the 2013 Constitution, which prohibit a third presidential term and prevent incumbents from benefiting from any amendments to term limits. “These provisions are not negotiable—they are entrenched,” Muyenziwa wrote.
The petition alleges that ZANU PF is considering legal manoeuvres to repeal these clauses, delay the 2028 elections, and frame the campaign as a response to popular demand.
Muyenziwa called such tactics “politically reckless and legally indefensible.”
She also raised concerns about the use of patronage and repression, stating: “Reports indicate that ZANU PF is using money, gifts, and promises of protection to buy support…
The Patriotic Act is being weaponized to criminalize dissent.”
In her closing appeal, Muyenziwa urged Parliament to “stand as a guardian of democracy, not a facilitator of authoritarianism.”
The petition signals a broader call for institutional accountability and arrives amid growing public scrutiny of proposed constitutional changes. Whether Parliament will act remains to be seen—but the legal and political stakes are now firmly on the table.