Zimbabwe’s Muslim community backs constitutional changes to extend Mnangagwa’s term

Source: www.zimbabwesituation.com

Zimbabwe’s Muslim community has thrown its weight behind proposed constitutional changes that would allow President Emmerson Mnangagwa to remain in office beyond 2028, praising his administration for promoting religious freedom and tolerance. Sheikh Ishmael Duwa, President of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs in Zimbabwe, said the community supports the Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill because of the development projects underway across the country. “Let’s give the President more time to undertake these development projects,” he said, according to reports from The New Times.

The Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment No. 3, gazetted in February, proposes extending presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years and replacing direct presidential elections with selection by parliament. Imam Yusuf Anubi, national chairperson of the Ahmadiyya Muslim JAMAAT, said the government has worked closely with the community, attending their programmes and respecting their religious freedom. “It shows this is a government that promotes freedom of religion and we support that,” he said.

Sheikh Henry Balakazi, national convener of the group “I’m a Muslim I Support Economic Development,” said the Bill addresses critical issues such as political violence and intimidation seen in previous elections. He argued that having parliament choose the president would save the country from conflict and violence. The Muslim community, an important minority in Zimbabwe, expressed gratitude for Mnangagwa’s policies that encourage peaceful co-existence in a world often marked by religious intolerance.

The support from the Muslim community adds to growing backing for Mnangagwa and his administration ahead of the Bill’s presentation in Parliament. Supporters argue the proposed changes will enhance stability and sustain momentum on Zimbabwe’s economic progress. The amendments are currently undergoing public consultation, with a fierce debate unfolding between those who see the changes as essential for national development and those who view them as a threat to constitutionalism and democratic accountability.

Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa has also directed the removal of all trade barriers, starting with Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, according to Ambassador Albert Chimbindi, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. The move aims to improve the movement of goods, services, and people and accelerate intra-African trade. President of Botswana Duma Gideon Boko, speaking at the official opening of the 66th Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo, noted that intra-African trade remains at only about 15 percent, underscoring the need for such reforms.

During the trade fair, President Mnangagwa and President Boko toured the Econet Wireless stand. Econet recently launched a dedicated artificial intelligence business called Econet AI, and its infrastructure arm, Econet InfraCo, was recently listed on the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange with an estimated valuation of US$1 billion.

Related topics: Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, Muslim community, constitutional amendment, election support, religious freedom, Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs

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