Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa refuted rumors that he would seek a third term, saying that he doesn't violate the country's constitution, in an interview with the local Brick by Brick magazine.
“We in ZANU-PF [ruling party of Zimbabwe] are very democratic, and we obey the Constitution. There is not an iota of evidence where ZANU-PF or I, as President, has ever expressed the violation of our Constitution,” he said, answering a question if he was seeking a third term.
The presidential term of office in Zimbabwe is restricted by the 2013 Constitution to a maximum of two consecutive five-year terms.
Such a question to the president was likely asked due to the slogan "2030 vaMnangagwa vanenge vachipo" that has been proclaimed at ZANU-PF rallies in recent months, which can be translated as "Mnangagwa will still be there in 2030."
Aside from that, the president spoke on the topic of amending the constitution.
To change the constitution, the bill containing the amendment must be passed by a two-thirds majority in both the National Assembly and the Senate. However, Section 328(7) of the Constitution does not allow the incumbent president to extend the period during which they can hold office.
The president emphasized the need to adhere to due process when governments want to modify constitutions.
“A constitution is supposed to be made by the people of the country. Once you have come up with your own constitution, before you change it, you must comply with what it says,” he reportedly said.
Constitutions are amended “if you are not happy with what the constitution is saying,” Mnangagwa added.
“The constitution doesn’t make the country. It’s the country which makes the constitution,” he concluded.
81-year-old Mnangagwa was an active participant in the guerrilla armed struggle of part of the indigenous African population of the British self-governing territory of Southern Rhodesia against European colonists, and the authorities of the unrecognized state of Rhodesia created this territory for their political equality.
Since 1980, he has held a number of key positions in the government and security forces, and in 2000-2005 he was chairman of the lower house of parliament. In 2014-2017, he was the First Vice President of Zimbabwe.