HARARE, Zimbabwe – Zimbabwe lawmakers have approved constitutional amendments that could keep President Emmerson Mnangagwa in office until 2030 while eliminating direct presidential elections.
The country’s lower house of parliament on Thursday overwhelmingly backed a controversial bill that extends presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years and transfers the power to elect future presidents from voters to parliament.
The legislation, seen as the culmination of a long-running push by the ruling Zanu-PF party, secured the support of 216 lawmakers, comfortably surpassing the 187 votes needed to amend the constitution. Forty-two MPs voted against the proposal.
Announcing the outcome, Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda confirmed that “216 lawmakers had backed the legislation,” clearing a major hurdle for one of the most consequential constitutional changes since Zimbabwe adopted a new constitution in 2013.
If enacted, the amendments would extend Mnangagwa’s current and final term from 2028 to 2030. Parliamentary elections due in 2028 would also be postponed to 2030.
The bill now heads to the Senate, where it is widely expected to pass before being signed into law by the president.
The changes mark a significant shift in Zimbabwe’s democratic process. Among the most notable provisions are the scrapping of direct presidential elections—held since 1990—and the introduction of a parliamentary vote to choose future presidents.
Mnangagwa, 83, came to power in 2017 after removing long-time ruler Robert Mugabe with military backing. He later won disputed elections in 2018 and 2023.
The constitutional overhaul follows a campaign by Zanu-PF, which has governed Zimbabwe since independence in 1980. The initiative received cabinet approval in February despite the president previously describing himself as “a constitutionalist” and pledging to respect term limits.
Opposition parties, civil society organisations and constitutional lawyers have strongly criticised the amendments, arguing that changes of such magnitude should be decided through a national referendum rather than parliament alone.
Their concerns are rooted in the 2013 Constitution, which limits presidents to two terms and stipulates that any extension of term limits must be approved by voters through a referendum. It also states that a sitting president cannot benefit from such an extension unless voters endorse it in a second referendum.
However, a last-minute legal challenge suffered a setback on Wednesday when Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Court dismissed a bid seeking to block the bill.
The vote comes amid growing debate over the country’s democratic future. While supporters argue the amendments will provide continuity and political stability, critics warn they risk weakening democratic accountability and further concentrating power in the executive.
For Mnangagwa, who was initially welcomed by supporters as a reformer capable of reviving Zimbabwe’s economy and democratic institutions, the proposed changes represent a defining moment in a presidency increasingly scrutinised over economic hardships, disputed elections, and allegations of democratic backsliding.
