Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has signed a constitutional amendment into law that will allow him to remain in office until 2030, extending his presidency by two years.
Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana confirmed the development on Tuesday.
Mnangagwa also announced the signing of the legislation in a post on X, writing, “Signed, sealed and delivered,” while attaching a copy of the new law.
The amendment introduces major changes to Zimbabwe’s political system. One of the most significant is the abolition of direct presidential elections. Instead, future presidents will be chosen by Parliament.
The new law means Mnangagwa, whose second and final five-year term was due to end in 2028, will now remain in office until 2030. It also effectively shuts the door on Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga’s chances of succeeding him through a nationwide election, as Parliament will now decide who becomes president.
In June, Zimbabwe’s Senate and House of Representatives passed the constitutional amendment after more than 200 lawmakers voted in support of the bill. The vote comfortably surpassed the two-thirds majority required to amend the constitution.
The constitutional amendment makes several significant changes, including:
– Future presidents will be elected by Parliament rather than through a nationwide vote.
– The tenure of the president and members of Parliament has been increased from five years to seven years.
– The Attorney-General must now meet the qualifications required to serve as a Supreme Court judge.
– The president can appoint 10 additional senators, increasing Senate membership from 80 to 90.
– Responsibility for voter registration has been transferred from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to the Registrar-General, while a new Delimitation Commission will handle constituency and ward boundaries.
– If the office of the president becomes vacant, the vice-president will serve in an acting capacity until Parliament elects a replacement within 30 days.
Mnangagwa, 83, came to power in 2017 after the military-backed removal of long-serving leader Robert Mugabe.
He later won disputed elections in 2018 and 2023.
In recent months, supporters of the ruling Zanu-PF party have openly campaigned for Mnangagwa to remain in office beyond 2028, adopting the slogan, “2030 ndeyaMnangagwa” (“2030 belongs to Mnangagwa”). They argue that he needs more time to complete his development agenda.
The new law marks the culmination of that campaign. Zanu-PF, which has governed Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, secured cabinet approval for the constitutional changes earlier this year before pushing the bill through Parliament.
Opposition parties, civil society organisations and constitutional lawyers have strongly criticised the move.
They argue that changes of this magnitude should have been subjected to a national referendum rather than being decided solely by lawmakers.
When Mnangagwa first assumed office, many Zimbabweans viewed him as a reformer who would revive the struggling economy and strengthen democratic institutions.
However, his presidency has instead been marked by economic hardship, disputed elections and increasing criticism over the state of democracy in the country.
Often referred to as “The Crocodile” because of his political survival skills, Mnangagwa was originally expected to leave office in 2028 under Zimbabwe’s existing constitutional term limits.
The latest constitutional amendments have reignited debate about Zimbabwe’s democratic future. Critics warn that the changes weaken public accountability by taking away citizens’ right to directly elect their president, while supporters insist they are necessary to ensure political stability and continuity.
Zimbabwe adopted its current constitution through a referendum in 2013 after years of criticism over Robert Mugabe’s lengthy rule, which began at independence in 1980.
That constitution limited presidents to two terms and specifically stated that any extension of presidential term limits must first be approved by voters through a referendum.
It also provided that a sitting president could only benefit from such an extension if citizens endorsed it in a separate referendum.
Despite those provisions, Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Court dismissed a legal challenge seeking to stop the amendment from becoming law.
