Zimbabwe’s lower house of parliament has approved a controversial constitutional amendment that would extend presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years, potentially allowing President Emmerson Mnangagwa to remain in power until 2030.
The bill, passed on Thursday, also seeks to abolish direct presidential elections and hand parliament the power to choose future presidents.
Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda said 216 lawmakers voted in favour of the legislation, comfortably surpassing the 187 votes required for a two-thirds majority to amend the constitution. Forty-two lawmakers voted against the bill.
The proposed amendment would delay elections scheduled for 2028 until 2030 and extend Mnangagwa’s current term by two years. His second and final term is currently due to end in 2028.
The bill marks the culmination of a campaign by the ruling Zanu-PF party, which has governed Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, to amend the constitution and extend presidential terms.
The plan received cabinet backing in February, despite Mnangagwa previously presenting himself as a constitutionalist and pledging to respect term limits.
Under the proposed changes, presidential elections, which have been held since 1990, would be scrapped. Parliament would instead elect the country’s next president.
The amendment would also extend the terms of parliament and the presidency from five to seven years.
Opposition parties, civil society organisations and constitutional lawyers have criticised the move, arguing that changes of this scale should be decided through a national referendum rather than approved solely by parliament.
Zimbabwe’s 2013 constitution limits presidents to two terms and states that any extension of term limits must be approved by voters in a referendum. It also says a sitting president cannot benefit from such an extension unless voters approve it in a second referendum.
However, Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Court dismissed a legal challenge on Wednesday that sought to block the bill.
Mnangagwa, 83, came to power in 2017 after Robert Mugabe was removed with the backing of the military. He later won disputed elections in 2018 and 2023.
His supporters initially presented him as a reformer who would restore economic growth and democratic governance after decades of Mugabe’s rule.
However, his presidency has been marked by economic hardship, contested elections and growing accusations of authoritarianism.
The latest amendment has intensified concerns over Zimbabwe’s political direction, with critics warning that the changes would weaken democratic accountability and further consolidate Zanu-PF’s grip on power.
Supporters of the bill argue that the changes are necessary to ensure continuity and stability.
The legislation will now move to the senate, where it is expected to pass before being sent to Mnangagwa for approval.
