Zanu PF moves to rewrite party constitution

Zanu PF began internal party constitution changes as Zimbabwe's president sought new electoral law reforms and opened a busy legislative session.

Zanu PF moves to rewrite party constitution

ZANU PF began internal rulebook changes aimed at extending President Mnangagwa's tenure.

ZANU PF has moved to rewrite its party constitution to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa's rule, opening a new phase in the ruling party's internal leadership contest. The ruling party is making changes to its internal rulebook as it pushes to prolong his tenure and keep him at the centre of the party's leadership structure. The revision process gives the party a direct internal mechanism to adjust leadership rules and manage how the next succession will be decided. The proposed amendments would put the party constitution at the centre of the succession contest, replacing speculation with formal internal rules. The change could trigger a succession crisis and legal challenges that test the ruling party's ability to manage the transition.

Mnangagwa calls for further electoral law changes

President Mnangagwa called for changes to the Electoral Act and Constitutional Court Act after amendments extended his term by two years.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is pushing for further changes to Zimbabwe's electoral laws, months after amendments extended his current term by two years and moved the next election to 2030. Addressing parliament, he called for changes to the Electoral Act and Constitutional Court Act, adding a new legislative request to an already contested reform agenda. The constitutional amendments that extended his term have already triggered legal challenges, and those cases remain unresolved as the president seeks more changes. He used his State of the Nation Address to showcase sweeping electoral changes introduced under the Constitutional Amendment Act. The push deepens contention over Zimbabwe's electoral timeline and the laws that will govern future presidential and parliamentary votes.

US ends Zimbabwe health aid after deal collapse

The United States ended global health aid to Zimbabwe after the two sides failed to agree on a new health deal.

The United States has officially ended decades of global health aid to Zimbabwe, cutting funding for programmes that target HIV and other infectious diseases. The termination follows the collapse of negotiations over a new America first health deal between the two countries. Affected projects will receive a short period to wind down their operations, and service providers now face the immediate task of closing programmes without new agreements in place. The decision removes a major source of external support for Zimbabwe's health sector, where US funding has backed HIV and infectious disease programmes. The end of US health aid cuts a central channel that has funded HIV and infectious disease work in Zimbabwe.

Wicknell Chivayo and wife die in helicopter crash

Wicknell Chivayo and his wife died in a helicopter crash in Marondera on Wednesday, 30 September 2026.

Businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his wife Lucy Muteke died when their helicopter crashed near Marondera on Wednesday, 30 September 2026. Four other people, including crew members and a security aide, also died when the aircraft went down near Marondera. Kenyan President William Ruto and President Emmerson Mnangagwa led public tributes, with Mnangagwa describing Chivayo as philanthropic and the deaths as devastating. Family spokesperson Herbert Chivayo said forensic experts had not formally identified the heavily dismembered bodies after an 18-hour recovery operation. The Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe issued preliminary details on Thursday as police launched investigations into what caused the aircraft to go down. The crash has reverberated across government and industry circles on the continent.

Over 600 farmers subscribe to dollar bonds

Deputy Finance Minister Kudakwashe Mnangagwa said over 600 former farmers received compensation through Treasury bonds.

Zimbabwe's compensation payments to white farmers for land seized 26 years ago have reached US$508 million as the government expands its dollar-denominated Treasury bond programme. Deputy Finance Minister Kudakwashe Mnangagwa said the payments came through after farmers had accepted and subscribed to the dollar-denominated bonds. More than 600 former commercial farmers have received compensation as the government continues efforts to settle outstanding obligations arising from the land reform programme. The payments form part of the country's effort to restore access to international capital markets and resolve long-standing land claims from the land reform era. The bond subscription path gives former farmers a concrete payment channel while advancing the government's broader compensation effort.

Fourth Session legislative bundle spans five ministries

President Mnangagwa opened the Fourth Session and the finance, agriculture, health, transport and justice bills now move to debate.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa officially opened the Fourth Session of the Tenth Parliament at the New Parliament Building in Mt Hampden on Tuesday. Addressing a joint sitting of Parliament, he unveiled a packed legislative agenda covering finance, agriculture, health, transport and justice. The president said his government remained committed to the rule of law and to improving access to essential services for citizens. The bills span multiple ministries and immediately set the parliamentary work programme for the new session. Lawmakers now face a heavy legislative load as they return to parliamentary business. The opening places the finance, agriculture, health, transport and justice bills directly before the new session for formal debate.

Analysts call 27.5% borrowing costs too high

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe cut its policy rate to 27.5 percent effective immediately.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe reduced its Bank policy rate from 30 percent to 27.5 percent, effective immediately, marking a second consecutive reduction since June 2026. The central bank described the reduction as a cautious monetary-easing move to align borrowing costs with inflation trends, bringing the cumulative reduction to 7.5 percentage points. Business and economic analysts say borrowing costs remain too high for an economy that needs wider access to credit to support investment and expansion. The central bank bucked a global trend toward keeping borrowing costs higher as US-Iran tensions keep energy prices elevated. Tight monetary policy settings remain in place despite the easing, leaving the central bank committed to anchoring inflation.

ZIMRA collects US$4.71 billion in first half

ZIMRA collected US$4.71 billion in net revenue in the first half of 2026, beating target by 16.14 percent.

The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority collected US$4.71 billion in net revenue during the first half of 2026, exceeding its target by 16.14 percent, according to the authority. The figure represents a 46.73 percent increase compared with the same period in 2025, according to the revenue authority's half-year update. In local currency, net revenue reached ZWG125.06 billion, surpassing the targeted ZWG104.99 billion by 19.12 percent during the same period. The top four revenue streams contributed the bulk of collections, a pattern that continued through the first half, according to the authority's performance update. The half-year result leaves collections tracking ahead of the official target for the first six months of 2026, with the authority reporting a strong six-month performance.

Harare and Chitungwiza councils diverted sewer fees

Parliament accused Harare and Chitungwiza councils of diverting wastewater fees and seeking a US$9.3 million bailout.

Parliament has accused Harare and Chitungwiza municipalities of diverting wastewater fees into general accounts instead of repairing sewer infrastructure, according to a new committee report. The two local authorities are seeking an emergency US$9.3 million bailout even as the report exposes the diversion and the state of their sewer infrastructure. The Portfolio Committee on Environment, Climate and Wildlife said the councils used funds collected for sewer maintenance elsewhere, rather than on the designated infrastructure. The findings cover water pollution hotspots in Harare and Chitungwiza, placing new scrutiny on how the two councils manage ring-fenced service fees. The two councils now face parliamentary pressure to account for the diverted funds while they request emergency support.

Police probe water cannon death at Zimbabwe-DRC match

ZIFA issued its first official comment after a fan died at the Zimbabwe-DRC match.

The Zimbabwe Football Association issued its first official comment after a supporter died during chaotic scenes at the Zimbabwe-Democratic Republic of Congo match. Police are investigating the death after a police water cannon vehicle ran over the fan while officers moved to contain restless crowds. Network delays vexed soccer fans during pre-match ticketing at the Monday match, creating confusion before the stadium gates opened. The death has shone a light on challenges still stalking pre-match ticketing and stadium entry systems. ZIFA broke its silence after days of public reaction to the supporter's death and the chaotic scenes that marred the qualifier. The Monday match exposed lingering weaknesses in stadium entry management and crowd control.

The Jeere 2026-10-02  ·  stories

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this newsletter.
Unsubscribe  ·  View in browser