HARARE, ZIMBABWE — In a sweeping and highly controversial political shift, Zimbabwe’s Senate has overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment bill that will extend the presidential mandate, allowing 83-year-old President Emmerson Mnangagwa to remain in power until 2030.
The upper house vote, which saw 75 senators in favor and only four against, surpasses the two-thirds majority required for constitutional alterations. This follows the bill’s successful passage through the National Assembly last week, where it was heavily supported by the ruling ZANU-PF party in a 216-42 vote.
At the core of the newly approved legislation is a provision extending both presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years. Consequently, President Mnangagwa’s current and constitutionally final term, initially slated to end in 2028, will be automatically prolonged by two years. In an even more fundamental change to Zimbabwe’s democratic structure, the amendments will eliminate direct presidential elections a system in place since 1987 transferring the power to appoint the head of state directly to Parliament.
Supporters of the move argue the extension is necessary for national stability. When the cabinet first backed the plan earlier this year, officials stated the changes would “enhance political stability and policy continuity to allow development programs to be implemented to completion.”
However, the opposition, legal experts, and civil rights groups have fiercely condemned the amendments, labeling the maneuver a “constitutional coup.” Critics argue that altering term limits and abolishing the direct popular vote represents a severe democratic regression intended solely to entrench ZANU-PF’s grip on the resource-rich nation.
Senior opposition figures, including former senator David Coltart, have vowed to continue battling the amendments in court, asserting that such fundamental changes to citizens’ voting rights should mandate a national public referendum. “The only way we will be able to get a referendum is if the Constitutional Court issues an order that this is compulsory,” Coltart stated. Previous legal challenges to halt the bill have already been dismissed by the courts.
Human rights organizations have also raised alarms regarding the political climate surrounding the vote. Human Rights Watch recently reported that activists attempting to mobilize resistance or publicly oppose the constitutional changes have faced intimidation, violence, and arbitrary arrests by suspected state agents.
Nicknamed “The Crocodile” for his political survival skills and ruthlessness, Mnangagwa originally came to power in 2017 following a military-backed coup that ousted longtime autocrat Robert Mugabe. Having secured election victories in 2018 and 2023 both of which were marred by allegations of voter suppression and international criticism—Mnangagwa’s continued rule now hinges on a stroke of his own pen.
Following minor technical adjustments in the National Assembly, the draft legislation will be sent to President Mnangagwa’s desk, where his signature will officially enact the historic constitutional rewrite.
