Zimbabwe Parliament Approves Bill to Extend Presidential Term

The Zimbabwe Parliament has approved a bill that seeks to extend the presidential term from five years to seven years, which is now awaiting the assent of President Emmerson Mnangagwa. The bill was adopted following a vote on Tuesday and revises an earlier version passed by the Senate.

This amendment is part of a broader constitutional amendment package, labeled CAB3, which has faced criticism for potentially extending Mnangagwa's second and final term, originally set to end in 2028, until 2030. The bill also proposes to replace the direct presidential election system with a parliamentary appointment of the president, reversing electoral reforms established in 1987.

Opposition parties and legal experts argue that these changes would entrench ZANU-PF's hold on power and violate constitutional provisions that bar incumbents from benefiting from alterations to term limits. They have called for a national referendum to address these amendments, which they believe undermine democratic accountability.