Zimbabwe Cabinet Approves Law Changes That Would Extend President’s Term

Zimbabwe’s cabinet has approved proposed constitutional changes that critics say are aimed at extending President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rule to 2030. The amendments include lengthening presidential terms, changing how the president is chosen, and expanding the Senate, moves the government says will ensure stability. Opposition figures insist such changes should be subjected to a national referendum, as protests against the plan have already faced police crackdowns.

Zimbabwe’s cabinet on Tuesday approved far-reaching constitutional changes that critics say are aimed at extending President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s stay in power by an additional two years, pushing his tenure to 2030.
The proposed amendments, which are yet to be presented to parliament, include extending the presidential term from five years to seven years. Another major change would see the president selected by parliament rather than through a direct vote by the electorate, a move that has sparked strong criticism from opposition groups and civil society.
The cabinet decision follows earlier steps taken by Mnangagwa’s ruling Zanu-PF party, which in October adopted a plan to keep the 83-year-old president in office beyond the end of his current term in 2028. At the time, the party said the necessary legislative amendments would be initiated to support what it described as its “2030 agenda.”
The plan had been discussed for months before it was formally adopted as party policy, drawing sharp reactions from opposition figures who vowed to resist what they described as attempts to undermine and capture the constitution.
In a post-cabinet statement, the government said the amendments were intended to “enhance political stability and policy continuity,” arguing that the changes would allow long-term development programmes to be implemented and completed without disruption. Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said the bill would first undergo legal review by the attorney general before being published in the government gazette and formally introduced to parliament.
The proposed changes also include provisions that would allow the president to appoint 10 additional senators, increasing the size of the Senate to 90 members. Opposition figures have argued that such amendments significantly alter the structure of governance and should not be passed without direct public approval.
Opposition politician David Coltart told AFP that any constitutional amendment that has the effect of extending the tenure of a sitting president must be subjected to a national referendum. He insisted that bypassing a public vote would undermine democratic principles and the rule of law.
President Mnangagwa was first elected in 2018 and secured a second term following elections in 2023. In recent months, attempts to protest against plans to extend his rule have been met with a police crackdown, resulting in the arrest and imprisonment of dozens of demonstrators, further heightening political tensions in the country.