Opposition Activist Warns Against ‘Unlawful 2030 Bid’

A local pposition activist has raised alarm over remarks by Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe who appeared to suggest that the country would not hold elections until 2030.

Speaking at a ruling Zanu-PF party meeting in Marondera over the weekend, in a video that has since gone viral on social media, Garwe is heard saying there would be no elections before 2030 – remarks interpreted by critics as a push to secure President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s extended stay in office.

In response, former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi said the statements were unconstitutional and posed a direct threat to the country’s democratic order.

“We have received a multitude of messages expressing alarm and concern regarding Mr Garwe’s statements, which seem to challenge the constitution and advocate for its removal. Our stance remains consistent: Mr Garwe lacks the authority to undermine the constitution, and his statements are unlawful and a direct challenge to the rule of law. No individual possesses the power to cancel elections,” Mkwananzi said

The  Constitution mandates regular elections every five years. 

The next general elections are due in 2028 following the disputed August 2023 vote which returned Mnangagwa for a second and final term.

Mkwananzi warned that any attempts to alter electoral timelines outside the framework of the constitution would be “illegal, unconstitutional and should be disregarded and even resisted.”

Garwe has in recent weeks been outspoken calling on Mnangagwa’s continued leadership.