JOHANNESBURG — Former Zimbabwean Cabinet Minister and ex–Zanu PF political commissar Saviour “Tyson” Kasukuwere has dismissed President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s reported plans to extend his term of office to 2030, describing the move as “a dream” destined to end in disaster.
In an interview with IOL, Kasukuwere warned that Zanu PF’s proposal to amend the constitution to prolong Mnangagwa’s stay in power beyond 2028 would backfire politically and economically.
“He [Mnangagwa] is dreaming, and he has set himself up for a gigantic failure,” Kasukuwere said. “Greed knows no boundaries, and this will lead to a huge disaster for the country.”
His remarks come in response to a resolution adopted at the ruling party’s annual national people’s conference in Mutare, where delegates formally endorsed the idea of extending Mnangagwa’s term by two years to align with the government’s “Vision 2030” development agenda.
According to State media, party delegates argued that allowing Mnangagwa to remain in power until 2030 would ensure “policy continuity” and the completion of major national projects initiated under his administration. Zanu PF’s acting political commissar, Munyaradzi Machacha, said the resolution would be submitted to the party’s central committee for further consideration.
“Our president has demonstrated exceptional leadership in driving national development,” Machacha said. “The conference agreed he should be supported to continue implementing Vision 2030.”
However, critics say the move undermines constitutionalism and echoes Zimbabwe’s authoritarian past. Kasukuwere, who fled the country after the 2017 military intervention that ousted Robert Mugabe, said the proposed amendment is a reflection of “greed and fear of accountability.”
“Instead of focusing on fixing the economy and uniting the nation, they are plotting how to entrench themselves in power,” he said. “History will not be kind to those who choose personal ambition over national progress.”
Political analysts have warned that any attempt to alter presidential term limits could deepen internal divisions within Zanu PF and provoke resistance from both the opposition and civil society.
If passed, the constitutional amendment would keep Mnangagwa, who is 83, in office until 2030 — extending his rule to 13 years since first assuming power in 2017 after Mugabe’s ouster.
The debate over Mnangagwa’s succession and the future of Zanu PF’s leadership continues to dominate Zimbabwe’s political landscape as the country approaches the midpoint of his final constitutional term.
