Lower house of parliament passes legislation to extend presidential terms from five to seven years.By AP and ReutersPublished On 18 Jun 202618 Jun 2026Zimbabwe’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.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listThe 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 governing ZANU-PF party controls the upper house of parliament through traditional leaders and other proxies who generally vote with the party.Signs that Mnangagwa, 83, wanted to stay in power beyond the end of his second term in 2028 emerged about two years ago, when his supporters started chanting slogans at ZANU-PF rallies that he needed more time to complete his agenda.Last year, the party resolved to change the constitution to lengthen presidential terms, and the plan received cabinet backing in February.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.Africa’s veteran leadersMnangagwa came to power after a 2017 military coup ousted longtime leader Robert Mugabe, who had been in power since independence in 1980.Until they fell out in the months leading up to the coup, Mnangagwa was one of Mugabe’s closest lieutenants, serving in top government positions, including vice president. A …
