President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed constitutional amendments about two weeks ago that extend his term to 2030 and change the election system.
The changes discard the scheduled 2028 elections. They increase presidential and parliamentary terms from five years to seven years. The president will now be chosen by Parliament instead of direct election by voters.
Prominent businessman and publisher Trevor Ncube wrote on Substack that his newspapers faced legal threats in 2024 and 2025. The threats came after stories reported Mnangagwa's plans to extend his term beyond 2028. Lawyers demanded the stories be removed within 48 hours or face damages of up to $22-million.
Ncube said the newspapers withdrew the stories due to fear of costly litigation. He called the decision a failure of courage. Mnangagwa had denied any intention to extend his term before signing the amendments.
Ncube also criticised leaders in the Southern African Development Community for remaining silent on the developments.
