Zimbabwe President Mnangagwa Signs Law Extending His Term to 2030 After Pledging to Step Down in 2028

President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed the Constitutional Amendment Act Number 3 into law recently, extending his time in office until at least 2030 instead of the end of his current term in 2028. Mnangagwa told state media editors that parliament exercised its constitutional mandate in approving the legislation. "I felt they had done the correct thing.

I expected them to pass it, and they did. So, I was happy," he said. The president rejected suggestions that the amendment reflected the wishes of one person. "I don't believe in individual persuasion or individual systems where the needs of or the wishes of an individual take the day," Mnangagwa said.

Mnangagwa had previously stated during a September 2024 visit to China that he would leave office in 2028. The signing occurred without media present, which the president addressed by saying he could not be intimidated and acted freely.

The 83-year-old leader also defended his administration's programs, noting that every village, district, and province has government initiatives with local targets.