HARARE – A project supported by some in Zanu PF to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s second and final term by two years to 2030, or amend the constitution and allow him to seek a third term is “dead and buried,” presidency spokesman George Charamba said on Thursday.

Charamba spoke in response to Catholic bishops who bemoaned the preoccupation with extending Mnangagwa’s term at the expense of “bread and butter issues.”

“The bishops raised the issue of the debate around the presidential term of office. Whilst this is really within their remit to proffer views and ideas on the matter, what the government found a bit disturbing is the fact that the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference is pronouncing itself on a matter which is in fact dead and buried,” Charamba told The Herald.

Charamba said the wishes of Mnangagwa loyalists who would like to see him stay in power beyond 2028 should not further detain the country because Mnangagwa has “made it very clear and in plain language that he has no intention whatsoever of pushing for an extension of his term beyond what is constitutionally provided for.”

He added: “It is therefore rather surprising that the eminent bishops decided to revisit what in fact is now a closed matter. When the party or any citizens express a desire to change the constitution to accommodate an extra term for the president, that wish does not and cannot close the matter.

“The nominee for that extension has to want to have that term extended, isn’t it? This is why we talk about what we call an acceptance speech or a statement. The president has made it clear that he has no intention of accepting that proposal which is coming from the party and from society. And once the nominee has turned down the proposal, then it means the debate on the matter, whilst it may continue in society, cannot have any serious executive implication, in which case one does not expect the holy fathers and bishops to continue to harp on a matter which in fact stands closed.”

Charamba’s comments put him at odds with some of Mnangagwa’s loyalists who insist he can be convinced to back the proposals to amend the constitution to either extend his term by two years from 2028, or scrap term limits entirely.

The Catholic bishops urged the ruling Zanu PF party to switch focus to “bread and butter issues” away from “distractions such as the ‘third term’ conversations, something that has brought with it divisions and unnecessary diversions from the things that do matter.”

Corruption was out of control, the bishops said, and “the corrupt seem uncensured and even rewarded whilst haemorrhaging the nation.”

Charamba said fighting corruption “is something that the government considers as a priority area.”