The Bulawayo Province of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) has issued a strong rebuke against growing calls within Zanu PF to amend the constitution, allowing President Emmerson Mnangagwa to seek a third term in office.
This ‘strong’ stance from ZNLWVA Bulawayo Province adds pressure on the ruling party as debate continues over the proposed constitutional amendments.
With rising voices within Zanu PF advocating for changes that could either extend the presidential term limit from two to three terms or eliminate term limits entirely, the war veterans have warned such moves undermine the very principles of the liberation struggle and pose a threat to Zimbabwe’s democracy.
ZNLWVA Bulawayo Provincial Executive Committee Chairperson, Dominic Mhlanga. expressed the association’s dismay at what he described as a reckless push by “misguided individual elements” within Zanu PF, “prone to an unconstitutional resolve.”
Mhlanga accused these ‘misguided individuals’ of prioritising personal ambition over national interest, saying the proposal to amend the constitution was unconstitutional and a betrayal of the liberation struggle.
“It is of paramount importance that these rogue elements be told that tampering with the constitution of the country is equal to tampering with the fundamentals of our liberation struggle,” the chairperson said to journalists.
“It badly affects the value of our pluralism, the welfare of all Zimbabweans to whom we pay allegiance, and the ideals and freedoms of our democracy, which were earned through immense sacrifice and struggle.”
Mhlanga emphasised that the Zimbabwean constitution, which limits presidential terms to two, is an essential safeguard of democracy and should not be altered for the benefit of a select few.
He urged Zimbabweans to be vigilant and resist any attempts to “dilute these values” for selfish political gain.
“Personal ambitions should not supersede national interests,” Mhlanga declared. “The presidential term extension must be put to rest.”
The war veterans also criticised the diversion of focus from pressing socio-economic issues to constitutional amendments.
Mhlanga stressed that Zimbabweans are more concerned about the struggling economy and the depreciating currency, warning that efforts to amend the constitution could waste valuable resources, which should be directed toward improving citizens’ welfare.
“It boggles the mind to find some individuals advocating for a change to the constitution, which will further plunder national resources that should be directed to the welfare of all Zimbabweans,” he said.
ZNLWVA Bulawayo Province Secretary General, Mathias Mbambo, echoed Mhlanga’s sentiments, calling on war veterans and ordinary citizens to unite and protect the legacy of Zimbabwe’s independence and social justice.
Mbambo reiterated the association’s firm stance against the proposed “ED2030 campaign,” which seeks to extend Mnangagwa’s presidency beyond his second term, set to end in 2028.
“We call upon all war veterans and citizens to unite, dialogue, and uphold the legacy of our struggle for independence and social justice,” Mbambo said.
“The ZNLWVA Bulawayo Province hereby resolutely stands against the ED2030 agenda.”
Mbambo reaffirmed the war veterans’ commitment to grassroots engagement, with plans for an outreach programme aimed at educating communities on the importance of preserving the democratic principles of the liberation struggle.
“Unity of purpose is our path to prosperity,” Mbambo added, urging citizens to stay focused on economic progress rather than political manipulation.
The war veterans’ stance aligns with recent public sentiment, according to an Afrobarometer survey, 79 percent of Zimbabweans, across all age groups and geographic locations, favour maintaining the current constitutional limit of two presidential terms.
The overwhelming opposition to extending presidential terms is a significant blow to President Mnangagwa’s supporters, who are lobbying for him to amend the constitution and run for a third term when his second term ends in 2028.
The war veterans’ body warned that Zanu PF’s intensified calls for constitutional amendments, to tamper with the country’s foundational laws could ignite political tensions and further alienate the electorate.
“The focus must be shifted to socio-economic fundamentals. Zimbabweans are eager to find solutions to our currency crisis, not constitutional manipulation to extend a presidency,” Mhlanga summed.
