Comment # 4 on bug 1048109 from Andreas Stieger

In addition to what Martin wrote: Users of the development repositories such as
devel:languages:php must acknowledge that these are development spaces for
openSUSE Tumbleweed. This is why you got hit by a change that is ultimately
intended for the development distribution.

I understand your comment #2 as a requirement for back-ports for Leap 42.2: A
version of PHP, but newer than in Leap 42.2, but with php5-imap retained. This
is not something we are providing at the moment.

You are kindly requested to build it yourself: Copy the versions from
devel:languages:php that work for you into your own repository, and provide all
subsequent maintenance and bug fixing. Also, one may submit changes to
devel:languages:php/php5 changes that that retain the -imap subpackage for Leap
42.2 and 42.3 only, with the implied commitment to take care of any related
breakage going forward.