Zimbabwe’s cabinet has approved draft legislation that could extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s tenure in office to at least 2030 and significantly alter the country’s presidential election system.
Under the proposed changes, the president would no longer be elected through a direct popular vote. Instead, members of parliament would select the head of state.
The draft bill also seeks to lengthen presidential terms from the current five years to seven years, with a maximum of two terms.
Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said public consultations would be conducted before the legislation is formally introduced in parliament for debate.
If enacted, the reforms could allow Mnangagwa, 83, to remain in office beyond the end of his current term. He first assumed office in 2017 following the military-assisted removal of long-time leader Robert Mugabe and was later elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2023 under the existing constitutional framework.
Details of how the proposed changes would apply to sitting officeholders have not yet been made public.
The move is likely to draw scrutiny from opposition groups and civil society organisations, which have previously raised concerns about electoral processes and governance reforms in the southern African nation.
Zimbabwe’s current constitution, adopted in 2013, introduced a two-term limit of five years each for presidents, elected by universal suffrage. Any amendments to key constitutional provisions would require parliamentary approval and could be subject to additional legal procedures.
The government has not yet provided a timeline for when the bill will be tabled before lawmakers.
