Southern Africa: Mbeki Speaks On Constitutional Amendments - Says Region Once Stopped Move Similar to Mnangagwa's

28 May 2026
New Zimbabwe (London)

FORMER South African President Thabo Mbeki has revealed how State leaders in the SADC region once conspired to stop late Zambian President Frederick Chiluba from forcing through a Constitutional Amendment that would have kept him in power beyond his mandated two terms.

Speaking at an African Union Development Agency event held in South Africa recently, Mbeki narrated how Presidents within the region decide to confront Chiluba and put a stop to a development they did not want in South Africa.

Without referencing to Zimbabwe or President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Mbeki confessed that trying to stop such manoeuvres was no longer possible as Africa was no longer as united, while Pan Africanism had regressed.

Mnangagwa is trudging on towards similar constitutional amendments that will keep him in power beyond the constitutionally mandated two terms.

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"There were elections in Zambia some time ago and UNIP led by late President Kenneth Kaunda lost and Chiluba took over.

"Towards the ends of his second term he wanted to change the constitution to add a third term. So, we conspired amongst ourselves in the region and said we did not want to introduce that habit here in this region, so we had to stop Chiluba.

"We decided on President Festus Mogae, the cleanest amongst us, the most honest and with all the moral authority, to corner Chiluba. He went and said no, no, no and that was the end of the Chiluba operation."

Expectations are high that Mnangagwa will sign the Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill into law upon Parliament passing it despite public disapproval exhibited during its Public Hearings.

Added Mbeki: "Can (what happened to Chiluba) happen now on the continent? I doubt it. The Pan Africanist perspective has gone down.

"We have this phenomenon of a regression from 25 years ago in South Africa here manifesting in many ways and a regression on the continent."

Regionally, Mnangagwa has been cosying up to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, President of Mozambique Daniel Chapo, King Mswati III of eSwatini and Namibia's Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah amongst others.

These, according to analysts form the base for his SADC support, if continental and global bodies are going to recognise his term 'extension.'

Zambia's Hakainde Hichilema and Botswana's Duma Boko are currently regarded as odd ones.

Read the original article on New Zimbabwe.

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