Harare, Zimbabwe (Running Africa) — Zimbabwe’s National Assembly has passed a controversial constitutional amendment bill that would extend presidential terms from five to seven years, a move that could allow President Emmerson Mnangagwa to remain in office until 2030 instead of leaving at the end of his current term in 2028.

The bill secured the support of more than 200 lawmakers, comfortably surpassing the two-thirds majority required to amend the constitution. The legislation now heads to the Senate, where it is widely expected to gain approval before being sent to the president for assent.

Beyond extending presidential terms, the proposed amendments would significantly reshape Zimbabwe’s electoral system. The bill would remove direct presidential elections and transfer the responsibility of selecting future presidents to Parliament. It also proposes postponing the next national elections from 2028 to 2030.

The changes mark the latest step in efforts by the ruling ZANU-PF to reform the country’s governance framework. Mnangagwa, who assumed power in 2017 following the removal of former president Robert Mugabe, later secured victories in the 2018 and 2023 elections, both of which were contested by opposition parties.

Opposition leaders, constitutional lawyers, and civil society organizations have criticized the proposed amendments, arguing that such far-reaching constitutional changes should be subjected to a national referendum in line with the spirit of Zimbabwe’s 2013 Constitution.

Critics warn that the reforms could weaken democratic accountability and reduce citizens’ direct role in choosing their leaders. Supporters, however, argue that the changes would promote political stability, policy continuity, and long-term national development.

The debate is expected to intensify as the bill moves through the Senate, with the proposed reforms likely to shape Zimbabwe’s political landscape for years to come.