Mnangagwa slips out on secret Belarus trip, misses Malaba farewell

HARARE – President Emmerson Mnangagwa quietly slipped out of the country late on Wednesday without the usual airport fanfare of blaring sirens and ministers to see him off, ZimLive has established.

The Zanu PF leader, 83, flew to Belarus on an unexplained trip so significant, it appears, that he missed a farewell dinner in honour of the departing Chief Justice Luke Malaba at a Harare hotel on Thursday evening.

Vice President Kembo Mohadi attended the event as guest of honour “on behalf of… Mnangagwa,” government spokesman Ndavaningi Mangwana said.

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga also attended and spoke at the farewell.

Presidency spokesman George Charamba had not responded to questions sent to him.

A senior government source who spoke to ZimLive revealed it was not the first time Mnangagwa had left the country without ceremony.

“He has in fact made this exact trip [to Belarus] before, leaving late at night and returning early morning after a couple of days. It’s just that this time someone caught onto it,” the official said.

Mnangagwa enjoys close ties with Belarusian strongman Aleksandr Lukashenko.

The president’s unexplained absence comes as parliament braces to debate the Constitutional Amendment (No. 3) Bill, which would extend his second and final term, currently due to end in 2028, to 2030.

The bill would also extend parliament’s term by two years, and remove the direct election of the president, who would instead be voted in by MPs.

Critics and legal experts say the changes cannot be implemented without a referendum, and even then an incumbent cannot benefit. The government denies this and appears determined to force through the proposal which has reportedly caused ructions in Zanu PF amid revelations that Chiwenga is stridently opposed.

Catholic bishops warned this week that the bill would “undermine foundational constitutional principles, weaken institutional independence, diminish direct democratic participation, and erode constitutional safeguards against the concentration and abuse of power.”