A pressure group, Ibhetshu Likazulu, that had taken the government to court over the controversial "2030 agenda" has abruptly withdrawn its case, saying it was forced to do so after a sustained campaign to discredit the organisation and its leadership.
In a statement issued Monday, Ibhetshu Likazulu said it had decided to terminate its legal challenge against the proposed constitutional changes linked to the extension of President Emmerson Mnangagwa's tenure.
"Ibhetshu Likazulu would like to inform its stakeholders and the public of its decision to withdraw with immediate effect its court case that challenges the 2030 agenda that has subsequently been set as Constitutional Amendment Number 3," the organisation said in the statement.
The group described the decision as difficult, saying it followed consultations with its partners amid what it said was a persistent smear campaign against the organisation and its leadership.
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"It is a difficult decision we had to take following advice from some of our stakeholders concerned in light of an unrelenting smear campaign to soil the reputation of the organisation and myself as its secretary general in particular," the statement said.
Despite withdrawing the case, the organisation insisted it would continue opposing the proposed constitutional amendment which seeks to extend Mnangagwa's rule beyond the current constitutional limit.
"This termination of the court route does not in any way mean that, as Ibhetshu Likazulu, we are abandoning our strong opposition to the 2030 agenda and its mutilation of the Constitution," the group said.
"We continue the fight by other means together with other constitution defenders who have made a stand against among other things the extension of President Mnangagwa's term beyond 2028."
The group also expressed support for other activists who have pursued legal action against the proposed changes, including the war veterans group represented by constitutional lawyer Lovemore Madhuku.
"In that regard, we support colleagues who have also taken the matter to court, especially those represented by Professor Lovemore Madhuku," the statement said.
The organisation further said the legal battle over the constitutional changes had become increasingly hostile.
"It is unfortunate but expected that this struggle for constitutionalism has turned ugly and hazardous," the statement said.
"Our genuine court application has been subverted through vicious propaganda by negative forces bent on sowing division, mistrust and suspicion within and among our members and the general public.
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"We reiterate our position that both at the individual level and as an organisation we have neither engaged nor received any support from regime enablers in the past or present," it said.
The withdrawn case formed part of a series of legal challenges linked to the contentious debate around extending Mnangagwa's presidency to 2030.
Earlier, the Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe granted Mbuso Fuzwayo and Ibhetshu Likazulu leave to approach the full bench in a matter challenging a 2025 resolution by the ruling ZANUPF.
The applicants' legal team argued that the ruling party's resolution was unconstitutional and that any amendment to the constitution should not benefit an incumbent president.
