THE DANGEROUS PUSH TO STEAL ZIMBABWE’S FUTURE
Zimbabwe is once again standing at a dangerous crossroads where those in power are attempting to rewrite the rules of the game to secure themselves permanent authority. The plan to extend presidential terms and weaken direct democratic choice is not reform but a calculated assault on the people’s sovereignty. After a resolution by Zanu PF in October 2025 to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term, opposition and civic activists were forced to respond to a threat that strikes at the heart of constitutional rule. That decision to elongate presidential tenure from five to seven years while abolishing direct presidential elections amounts to nothing less than a constitutional coup. It is an open declaration that the ruling elite no longer believe in the consent of the governed, only in the raw retention of power.
In response, citizens, opposition figures, and civic leaders formed the Defend the Constitution Platform in January as a united stand against this authoritarian drift. The platform brought together voices from the Citizens Coalition for Change alongside seasoned activists who have long paid a price for confronting state abuse. It reflects a growing understanding that fragmented resistance only serves those who benefit from repression and fear. This month, the Constitutional Defence Forum was launched to sharpen that resistance and give political clarity to the struggle against term extension. It was framed explicitly as a response to what has rightly been described as a constitutional coup unfolding in plain sight.
The existence of two platforms fighting the same battle is not a weakness but a sign of urgency, yet unity is now essential. Discussions toward integration and a memorandum of understanding show maturity and an appreciation that the stakes are simply too high for division. Outstanding issues such as the name of the united front are minor when weighed against the historic task before them. The real objective is to create a single rallying point capable of mobilising citizens across political, social, and generational lines.
Zimbabweans are being asked to accept a future where leaders choose voters only when it suits them and discard elections when they become inconvenient. This is not about personalities but about a system that fears accountability and despises the will of the people. If this term extension succeeds, no constitutional safeguard will remain sacred, and every future limit will be negotiable. That is why the emerging coalition matters, not as a political project alone, but as a moral defence of democratic principle.
The struggle now is to turn shared outrage into organised, sustained resistance that makes constitutional theft impossible. History will judge harshly those who tried to normalise authoritarianism through legal tricks and manipulated processes. It will also remember those who stood firm and refused to surrender Zimbabwe’s future to the ambitions of a few. The choice before the nation is clear, defend the constitution or watch democracy be dismantled piece by piece.
Silence and apathy will only embolden those who believe power belongs to them by entitlement rather than consent. Now is the moment for unity, courage, and collective action in defence of Zimbabwe’s constitutional soul. The planned united front offers a vehicle for citizens to channel resistance peacefully but firmly against unconstitutional manoeuvres. It must remain focused, inclusive, and relentless, because the cost of failure will be paid by generations yet unborn. Defending the constitution is not radical, it is a duty owed to every Zimbabwean who deserves a voice in choosing leadership. The fight against term extension is therefore a fight for dignity, accountability, and the right to decide our own destiny. It is a line that must never be crossed.
