On leave until February: Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa signs off for the holidays

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has begun his month-long annual vacation, starting on Monday, December 23, 2025.

In a statement issued by the Office of the President and Cabinet in Harare, Mnangagwa said he would spend his leave within the country and is expected to return to work in early February 2026. 

Vice President Kembo Mohadi is acting as president from December 23 to December 31, 2025.

From January 1 to January 13, 2026, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga will assume acting presidential responsibilities.

Mohadi will then resume acting duties from January 14 until Mnangagwa returns to office in the early part of February.

Mnangagwa came to power in November 2017 following the removal of former president Robert Mugabe, who was forced to resign after nearly four decades in office amid a military intervention and mounting political pressure.

Since assuming office, Mnangagwa has won two elections, both contested by opposition parties, and has pledged economic reform and re-engagement with the international community, while his government continues to face criticism over governance, elections and human rights.

The statement was signed by Deputy Chief Secretary for Presidential Communications George Charamba and issued on Tuesday.

In October, IOL reported that Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF party has announced plans to begin the process of extending Mnangagwa’s term of office by two years — a move that, if successful, would keep him in power until 2030.

The proposal was formally endorsed at the party’s annual national people’s conference in the eastern city of Mutare in October. Delegates instructed government structures to start work on legislation to amend the Constitution.

According to State-owned The Herald, delegates argued that the extension would allow Mnangagwa to “complete ongoing national development programmes” aligned with the government’s Vision 2030 agenda.

The conference adopted the resolution unanimously, describing it as a step toward ensuring policy continuity and consolidating the gains made under Mnangagwa’s leadership.

Zanu-PF’s acting political commissar, Munyaradzi Machacha, told The Herald that the resolution formed part of the official conference outcomes and would be referred to the party’s central committee for consideration.

“Our president has demonstrated exceptional leadership in driving national development. The conference agreed he should be supported to continue implementing Vision 2030,” Machacha said at the time.

jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za

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