Zimbabwe Lawmakers Pass Bill to Extend President's Term in Office

AI Summary

Zimbabwe's lower house of parliament has passed a bill to extend presidential terms, allowing President Emmerson Mnangagwa to remain in power until 2030. The bill, which needs to be approved by the Senate, would postpone elections due in 2028 to 2030 and extend Mnangagwa's term from five to seven years.

The Bill's Passage

Zimbabwe's lower house of parliament has passed a bill to extend presidential terms, which would allow President Emmerson Mnangagwa to remain in power until 2030.

Some 216 lawmakers in the National Assembly voted in favour of the draft legislation on Thursday, passing the 187 mark needed for a two-thirds majority.

The Constitutional Amendments

The constitutional amendments would postpone elections due in 2028 to 2030 and extend Mnangagwa's term from five to seven years.

The bill, which also proposes shifting presidential elections from direct popular vote to selection by lawmakers, has to be approved by the Senate, where it is also expected to pass.

Mnangagwa's Rule and Opposition

Critics say the bill is a means for Mnangagwa to stay in power for longer, though its backers say it will strengthen accountability and foster political stability.

Mnangagwa's governing ZANU-PF party controls the upper house of parliament through traditional leaders and other proxies who generally vote with the party.

Africa's Veteran Leaders

Mnangagwa came to power after a 2017 military coup ousted longtime leader Robert Mugabe, who had been in power since independence in 1980.

Zimbabwe would find itself among other African countries that have changed the law to keep leaders in power for longer, entrenching a trend on the continent where some of the world's oldest leaders govern its youngest populations.