HARARE — Zimbabwe’s senate gave overwhelming approval Wednesday to a bill that would lengthen presidential terms from five years to seven, paving the way for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to hold onto power until 2030.
The vote was not particularly close — 75 senators backed the measure while just four opposed it, surpassing the two-thirds majority required for passage.
Beyond extending the length of presidential terms, the legislation also includes a significant change to how Zimbabwe’s president is chosen. Rather than being elected directly by voters, the president would instead be selected by parliament under the new framework. The bill will officially become law once Mnangagwa puts his signature on it.
Signs that Mnangagwa, who is 83 years old, was looking to remain in office past the end of his second term in 2028 began surfacing roughly two years ago. Supporters at rallies held by the ruling ZANU-PF party began chanting that he needed additional time to finish what he had started.
The ruling party formally committed to amending the constitution to extend presidential terms last year, and the proposal received cabinet approval in February.
Mnangagwa’s path to the presidency came through a 2017 military coup that removed longtime leader Robert Mugabe, who had governed Zimbabwe since the country gained independence in 1980.
Opponents of the bill argue it is simply a mechanism for Mnangagwa to cling to power beyond what voters originally agreed to. Supporters, however, contend the changes will improve government accountability and bring greater political stability to the country.
