Zimbabwe ruling party decides to extend president's term to 2030

Godfrey Marawanyika, Bloomberg News on Oct 18, 2025

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Zimbabwe’s ruling party said it resolved to extend the tenure of President Emmerson Mnangagwa by another two years until 2030, and ordered the government to take the necessary legal steps to enact the decision.

Ziyambi Ziyambi, the Zimbabwe African Union-Patriotic Front’s secretary for legal affairs, said the move was taken to “ensure continuity, stability and sustained transformation of the nation.” He was speaking at Zanu-PF’s annual conference, which is being held in the eastern border town of Mutare.

The announcement follows local media reports of tensions between Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga over a push by the president’s supporters to extend his stay in office, and over allegations that he’s shielding politically connected businessmen who’ve been implicated in graft from arrest.

Mnangagwa’s term of office is scheduled to end in 2028, when elections are scheduled to be held.

Ziyambi also said the party wants the government to strengthen support for the country’s gold-backed currency, known as the ZiG. It should retain the status of sole legal tender for all domestic transactions, including fuel purchases, Ziyambi said.

The ZiG was unveiled in April last year in an effort to replace use of the dollar and show that Zimbabwe is serious about curbing inflation. It was the sixth attempt to create an effective local currency since 2009 but the results have been mixed.

(Desmond Kumbuka contributed to this report.)