The opposition MDC has lashed back at the ruling Zanu PF’s presidential age limit proposal describing it as a clear demonstration that President Emmerson Mnangagwa was afraid of squaring off against their youthful leader Nelson Chamisa in the political ring.
This follows deputy minister of defence Victor Matemadanda who proposed that the presidential age limit be increased to 52 a move understood as a political move to elbow out Chamisa, 40, from contesting 2023 elections.
The Zanu PF Women’s League followed suit in support of Matemadanda’s proposal.
In a telephone interview with the MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume rubbished the ruling party’s proposal as a sign of fear.
“Mnangagwa is so scared of Nelson Chamisa that he does not want to compete with him in his life time. So Zanu PF is sure that it does not have a candidate that can beat Chamisa fairly and squally that they are willing to change the constitution just to deal with Chamisa’s candidature,” he said.
Mafume threatened that if Zanu PF finally succeeds in its bid to change the constitutional age threshold currently standing at 40 years to 52 years, the country will not be governable.
“If they push for that constitutional change it would mean that they will sink deeper into illegitimacy and as a country it would mean that Zimbabwe has degenerated into a fully-fledged dictatorship that will not be acceptable and they will never be able to govern this country for any day longer if they put such a clause.”
