ZANU-PF Wants Mnangagwa to Stay on as Leader Until 2030

ZANU-PF Wants Mnangagwa to Stay on as Leader

Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF has proposed that President Emmerson Mnangagwa remains in power until 2030, SABC News reported on Saturday, 17 October 2026. The proposal came at the party's 23rd National People's Conference in Chinhoyi, which ran from 12 to 17 October.

It arrives three months after Mnangagwa signed constitutional changes that already push the next national election from 2028 to 2030. This latest move concerns the party itself, and follows calls from within ZANU-PF for him to stay as party leader without internal party elections until then.

Key facts

The 23rd ZANU-PF National People's Conference was held at Chinhoyi University of Technology in Mashonaland West from 12 to 17 October 2026.
Its theme was "From Resolutions to Results: Consolidating Economic Development and Deepening Empowerment towards Vision 2030".
Mnangagwa signed the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Act on 7 July 2026.
The Act raises presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years and postpones the 2028 election to 2030.
The Act also replaces the direct election of the president with a vote by members of parliament and senators sitting jointly.
Mnangagwa is 83. He took power in 2017 and was re-elected in 2023.

What happened

SABC News reported the proposal as breaking news on Saturday evening. Before the conference, ZANU-PF's Mashonaland East province resolved that Mnangagwa should remain President of Zimbabwe and First Secretary of the party until 2030, and that no ZANU-PF internal elections should be held before then. Provincial leaders also described aligning the party constitution with the national Constitution as a way to reduce internal contests.

The Manicaland provincial chairman went further, saying the province wanted to move beyond 2030 with the current leadership and would table that as a new resolution. Zimbabwean state media reported that the conference was expected to attract between 3,500 and 4,000 delegates.

Background and context

How the 2030 extension came about

The push began at the party's 22nd conference in Mutare in October 2025, which resolved to extend Mnangagwa's term from 2028 to 2030. The justice minister then announced that the government would begin drafting constitutional amendments. Under the 2013 Constitution, Mnangagwa would have had to step down in 2028 after two elected terms.

After public hearings, parliament passed the amendment bill, known as CAB3. Mnangagwa signed it into law on 7 July 2026. The Act extends the terms of the president and parliament from five to seven years and makes the incumbent president's continuation in office explicit. It also moves voter registration and the voters' roll from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to the Registrar-General.

The dispute over what it means

Supporters, including government figures, argue that the changes do not remove the two-term limit but lengthen each term. Critics, including opposition parties, civil society groups and constitutional lawyers, say the changes weaken accountability, apply the new terms to the sitting president, and reduce direct public participation in electing the head of state. Opposition parties filed applications at the Constitutional Court seeking to have the Act set aside. Human Rights Watch also reported attacks and arrests linked to the public consultation phase.

Within days of the signing, ZANU-PF's Harare province chairperson urged supporters at a rally to back keeping Mnangagwa in office even beyond 2030, to 2037. The ruling party has also been reported to be divided over succession.

What this means for you

Zimbabwe is a close neighbour. Political stability and economic policy in Zimbabwe affect trade, border movement and migration, and many Zimbabweans live and work in South Africa. A longer period of unchanged leadership means little near-term change in direction.

The model is being watched across Africa. The changes show how a government can lengthen terms through parliament rather than scrapping limits outright. How the courts and regional bodies respond will be followed closely across the region.

What happens next

Watch for the conference's final resolutions on Mnangagwa's party leadership and any changes to the ZANU-PF constitution.
Court action by opposition parties on the constitutional changes remains one to follow.
The next general election is now due in 2030, and under the new rules parliament, not voters, will choose the president.

Frequently asked questions

What exactly has ZANU-PF proposed?

According to SABC News, the party wants Mnangagwa to remain in power until 2030. Provincial resolutions before the conference also called for him to stay as party First Secretary and for no internal party elections until then.

Is Mnangagwa already president until 2030?

Yes, constitutionally. The Amendment (No. 3) Act, signed on 7 July 2026, extends the term and postpones the 2028 election to 2030.

How will future Zimbabwean presidents be chosen?

Under the Act, members of parliament and senators sitting jointly will elect the president after each general election or when the presidency becomes vacant.

Why do critics oppose the changes?

They argue the amendments weaken democratic accountability, apply to the sitting president, and remove the direct vote for president. Supporters say the two-term limit remains.

Editor's note

This is a developing story. The final outcome of the conference's resolutions had not been fully reported at the time of writing.

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