By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Zimbabwe’s President, Emmerson Mnangagwa has assented to new constitutional amendments postponing the date of the next election from 2028 to 2030, extending his tenure as well as abolishing direct presidential, a government notice issued on Tuesday indicates, despite strong challenge by critics and opposition.
At 83, Mnangagwa is considered one of the world’s oldest serving leaders and had previously pledged to step down when his second and final term ends in 2028.
But his ruling ZANU-PF party, with the support of some lawmakers from the divided opposition, pushed the amendments through the parliamentary process, making the Southern African nation the latest to amend its constitution in a way that allows an incumbent President to remain in office longer.
Parliament approved the amendments in June. They postpone the next election, scheduled for 2028, by two years, effectively extending Mnangagwa’s tenure to 2030.
The amendment also removes public voting in presidential elections, allowing only elected lawmakers to elect the President. It also extends the terms of the President and members of parliament from five years to seven.
The sweeping changes have attracted criticism from human rights lawyers, civil society groups, opposition politicians and some veterans of Zimbabwe’s 1970s liberation war, who argue that extending presidential terms requires approval through a national referendum and not a parliamentary passage.
Supporters of the amendments say Parliament had the authority to pass the changes because the constitutional two-term limit remains unchanged, even though each term would now be longer by additional two years.
The amendments have deepened political tensions in the 15 million population. In recent months, police have banned public meetings, arrested and detained some critics of the reforms, while others have alleged harassment and intimidation.
Zimbabwe’s courts have yet to rule on several legal challenges seeking to overturn the amendments.
Mnangagwa has ruled Zimbabwe since 2017, following the military-backed ouster of his longtime mentor, former President Robert Mugabe, who died in 2019.
