The National Democratic Working Group (NDWG) has petitioned the African Union (AU) to suspend Zimbabwe from the continental body, describing the government’s proposed constitutional amendments as a “coup in motion” designed to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s stay in office beyond 2028.
In a letter dated, 11 February 2026 and addressed to African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf in Addis Ababa, NDWG Acting Chairman and Chief Facilitator Zenzo Nkomo invoked Article 30 of the AU Constitutive Act, which provides for the suspension of governments that come to power through unconstitutional means.
Although the AU has not responded to this petition, this call for suspension marks a significant escalation in political opposition to the 2030 agenda.
NDWG’s petition follows the Cabinet’s decision on Tuesday to back the proposed Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment Bill, 2026.
The Bill seeks to extend presidential terms from five years to seven and would allow Mnangagwa, currently due to step down in 2028 after serving two five-year terms, to remain in office until 2030.
It also proposes removing the direct popular vote for the presidency, replacing it with a system in which the president is elected by Parliament.
Nkomo argues the proposed changes amount to an unconstitutional alteration of democratic governance.
“The government of Zimbabwe has introduced a Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2026 seeking to prolong and amend the Constitution of Zimbabwe (Amendment No. 13), to extend the term of office of the incumbent and his government from the term ending 2028 to 2030, without taking such amendments to a referendum or without having elections due in 2028,” Nkomo wrote.
“This is the flagrant violation of the AU Constitutive Act and we call upon the AU to take the following measures as prescribed by Article 30: That Zimbabwe be suspended from the African Union.”
Article 30 of the AU Constitutive Act states: “Governments which shall come to power through unconstitutional means shall not be allowed to participate in the activities of the Union.”
In his letter, Nkomo anchors his argument on the Lomé Declaration of 2000, which expanded the definition of what constitutes an unconstitutional change of government.
Among the listed violations is “manipulation of the constitution to stay in power.”
“Our raising of the red flag against the developments happening in Zimbabwe is informed by point number 5 of the Lomé Declaration,” Nkomo said.
“Developments happening in Zimbabwe to mutilate the constitution to prolong and extend the term of office of the incumbent constitute a coup and unconstitutional change of government.”
He further said the AU cannot continue remaining silent while a constitutional crisis unfolded in one of its member states.
“The African Union cannot remain mute when a coup is in motion in one of its member states,” Nkomo wrote.
“Many people are being abused, lives being lost, the anti-coup peaceful campaigners are under severe repression, attack and arbitrary arrests and there is escalation of human rights abuses as we petition you for your intervention.”
The NDWG, which describes itself as a social justice movement led by former Member of Parliament and lawyer Job Sikhala, said it had also copied its petition to the United Nations (UN), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the European Union (EU), alerting them to what it called an “impending coup.”
The government has defended the proposed amendments as a constitutional process that will follow legislative procedures, with Justice Minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi, having previously indicated the Bill would be gazetted and presented before Parliament for debate.
However, analysts argue extending presidential terms, altering the method of election without a referendum would undermine democratic principles and erode public trust.
Under Zimbabwe’s current Constitution, adopted in 2013 following a national referendum, the president is directly elected by popular vote and limited to two five-year terms.
Section 328(7) provides that any amendment to extend a term of office does not benefit an incumbent unless approved through a further referendum.
Legal experts have questioned whether the proposed amendments can lawfully apply to Mnangagwa without breaching constitutional safeguards designed to prevent self-serving changes to term limits.
Nkomo’s letter frames the matter not merely as a domestic constitutional issue but as a continental governance concern.
“Zimbabwe is a member state of the African Union and in terms of international law it is bound by the rules, protocols and the Charter of the AU,” he wrote.
“What is currently happening in Zimbabwe is a coup and an unconstitutional change of government against its people in terms of the African Union Constitutive Act.”
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