Veterans of Zimbabwe’s liberation war mounted a court challenge this Tuesday to proposed changes to the constitution that would extend presidential terms from five years to seven, allowing President Emmerson Mnangagwa to stay in office until 2030.<\/p>\n
Mnangagwa, 83, was meant to step down in 2028, after serving two five-year terms. There has been a succession battle in the ruling ZANU-PF party over how to replace him.<\/p>\n
Mnangagwa came to power after a 2017 military coup ousted post-independence leader Robert Mugabe. The latter’s 37 years in power were strongly supported by the veterans who helped him defeat white minority rule before independence from Britain in 1980.<\/p>\n
The challenge, by six veterans, alleges that the changes, which also include a provision that the president be elected by parliament rather than through a direct popular vote, are unconstitutional.
\n“The bill seeks, in both design and effect, to prolong the 1st respondent’s incumbency and current term of office,” the court papers read.<\/p>\n
“That constitutional violation is further deepened by the manifest intention not to hold a referendum, notwithstanding the constitution’s entrenched safeguards against unilateral alteration of the democratic tenure framework”.<\/p>\n
Zimbabwe government Spokesperson Nick Mangwana said: “The people who have made this court application are only six individuals out of the thousands of war veterans in this country.”
\nSpeaking by telephone, he added that they had a “right to represent themselves and their own personal views”.<\/p>\n
Lovemore Madhuku, the lawyer representing the war veterans, said the cabinet amending the constitution and putting it to a parliamentary vote – where it will face little opposition from the ZANU-PF majority that controls both houses rather than holding a referendum, defied constitutional norms.<\/p>\n
“If the court agrees, they (the veterans) will seek an order that nullifies the bill,” he said.<\/p>\n
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