Political analyst Dr Neo Simutanyi has cautioned that Zambia should not follow Zimbabwe’s example of extending presidential terms, after Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed a constitutional amendment on July 7 extending his term of office by two years, allowing him to remain in power until 2030.
Simutanyi said tampering with constitutional term limits runs counter to SADC principles governing democratic elections, arguing that constitutions exist precisely to be honoured rather than adjusted to suit an incumbent’s interests. He described Zimbabwe’s move as a departure from the tenets of its own constitution.
The comments come as Zambia’s own general election campaign intensifies ahead of the August 13 vote, with Simutanyi’s remarks widely read as a broader caution to the region about the erosion of term-limit norms among SADC member states.
Sources: News Diggers — Zambia should not fall in Zimbabwe’s trap
