HARARE
–
Churches
on
Tuesday
urged
President
Emmerson
Mnangagwa
to
“resist
the
temptation”
of
seeking
a
third
term
when
his
second
and
final
five-year
term
expires
in
2028,
warning
that
this
would
be
a
coup
against
the
constitution.
Mnangagwa
has
publicly
stated
that
he
has
no
plan
to
stay
on
beyond
2028,
which
would
require
a
constitutional
amendment
and
a
public
referendum.
The
Zanu
PF
leader
has
however
done
nothing
to
quell
the
lobby
by
his
loyalists
for
him
to
stay
on
at
least
until
2030,
or
seek
a
full
term
through
2033.
“The
call
to
extend
the
presidential
term
limits
and
postpone
the
2028
elections
is
an
invitation
for
the
president
to
be
a
co-conspirator
in
overthrowing
the
constitution
of
the
country
which
the
president
is
elected
to
uphold,
respect
and
defend,”
the
Zimbabwe
Heads
of
Christian
Denominations
(ZHOCD)
said
in
a
statement.
ZHOCD
brings
together
heads
of
the
Zimbabwe
Catholic
Bishop’s
Conference,
the
Zimbabwe
Council
of
Churches,
Evangelical
Fellowship
in
Zimbabwe
and
the
Development
of
Apostolic
Churches
in
Zimbabwe
Africa.
The
church
leaders
said
they
“took
relief
from
the
consistent
remarks”
made
by
Mnangagwa
affirming
his
commitment
to
uphold
the
constitution,
but
they
expressed
concern
about
“the
recent
pronouncements
by
some
MPs
and
political
activists
urging
the
president
to
extend
his
term
of
office
beyond
2028.”
The
church
leaders
added:
“The
ZHOCD
prayerfully
urges
the
president
to
resist
the
calls
and
the
temptation…
for
the
greater
good
of
the
country.
“As
the
Church,
we
encourage
the
president
to
adhere
to
the
constitutional
term
limits,
and
to
support
a
peaceful
transition
of
power
in
the
year
2028
following
free,
fair
and
credible
elections.”
The
bishops
warned
that
the
proposal
to
extend
Mnangagwa’s
term
“may
irretrievably
erode
public
trust
in
the
electoral
processes
in
Zimbabwe
and
would
destabilise
the
country
at
a
time
when
unity
and
peace
are
most
needed
for
our
economic
and
social
transformation.”
They
urged
Mnangagwa
to
prioritise
electoral
reforms
“and
ensuring
regular
free
and
fair
elections
to
ensure
accountability,
transparency
and
the
peaceful
transfer
of
power.”
The
push
for
a
third
term
for
Mnangagwa
has
united
his
opposition
rivals
who
have
vowed
to
mobilise
for
a
“no”
vote
when
the
matter
is
put
to
a
referendum.