Zimbabwe lawmakers back legislation extending president's time in power
The measure passed with 216 votes and now goes to the Senate, while critics say it weakens constitutional limits and democratic accountability.
- On Thursday, Zimbabwe's National Assembly approved constitutional amendments postponing 2028 elections until 2030, extending President Emmerson Mnangagwa's term by two years.
- Mnangagwa joins a growing club of aging African leaders like Cameroon President Paul Biya and Yoweri Museveni, who have altered constitutional restrictions to prolong their rule.
- The measure secured 218 votes, surpassing the 187 required threshold, and now heads to the Senate where passage is expected; it also shifts presidential elections from direct popular vote to selection by lawmakers.
- Beyond the presidential extension, the legislation lengthens terms for the president, MPs, councilors, and mayors from five to seven years, cementing a structural shift in governance.
- "It's the continental norm," said Blessing Vava, a democracy and governance researcher, noting that while Africa's population is increasingly young, the average age of presidents is rising and tenures are growing longer.
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40 Articles
In Zimbabwe, the lower house of Parliament approved on Thursday, 18 June, a bill aimed at, among other things, extending the term of office of the President from five to seven years. The text is still to be reviewed by the Senate, also dominated by the Zanu-PF, the ruling party. If the text is validated, President Emmerson Mnangagwa hopes to remain in power until 2030 without further elections, while his second term is expected to end in 2028.
The Parliament of Zimbabwe has voted for a constitutional amendment that, among other things, extends the presidential term from five to seven years. The term of the current Zimbabwean President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, was originally due to expire in 2028. Under the amended law, he can remain in power for two years longer. Additionally, the law deprives Zimbabweans of the right to directly elect the president. Following the amendment, the president…
Zimbabwe MPs pass bill to extend president's time in power
The proposal would extend Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term by two years and scrap direct presidential elections. Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source The post Zimbabwe MPs pass bill to extend president’s time in power appeared first on RocketNews.
Zimbabwe: House Passes Bill to Extend Presidential Term Limit
THE contentious Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Bill (CAB3) has sailed through the National Assembly, moving a step closer to becoming law after securing the constitutionally required two-thirds majority.
Zimbabwe moves closer to seven-year presidential terms
Zimbabwe’s National Assembly on Thursday approved a bill that would extend presidential terms from five years to seven, potentially allowing President Emmerson Mnangagwa to remain in office until 2030. A total of 216 MPs voted in favour of the proposed legislation, comfortably surpassing the 187 votes required for a two-thirds majority. Forty-two lawmakers from the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) opposed the bill, while 35 opposition MPs bac…
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