The Heads of Christian Denominations in Zimbabwe (ZHOCD) have welcomed the recent statement made by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, affirming his commitment to uphold the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
ZHOCD is an umbrella body that comprises prominent Christian organizations, including the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ), the Union for Development of Apostolic Churches in Zimbabwe Africa (UDACIZA), the Zimbabwe Catholics Bishops Conference (ZCBC), and the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC).
In his address at the commissioning of the Mutare Teachers College’s fruit juice and water processing plant on July 4, 2024, President Mnangagwa pledged not to seek a third term in office, thereby reaffirming his respect for the constitutional mandate that limits the presidential term to two terms.
In a statement, ZHOCD praised President Mnangagwa’s public commitment, saying by refusing to extend his presidency beyond the legal limits, he has taken a significant step towards reinforcing democratic norms and promoting national unity in Zimbabwe. It said:
Therefore, the Church calls upon all Zimbabweans to honour the President’s decision and to support him in the completion of his constitutional term. It also calls upon all Zimbabweans to embrace a spirit of peaceful and transparent leadership renewal. It is imperative that the process remains free from intimidation, violence, and manipulation to ensure national stability and the consolidation of our democracy.
Despite Mnangagwa’s public commitment to respect the constitutional two-term limit, some ZANU PF structures have since called for the President to continue in office beyond his current term, which is set to end in 2028.
However, even if there were to be a constitutional amendment to remove the term limits, the incumbent president would not be able to benefit from such a change.
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