Zimbabwe President Signs Law Extending Term by Two Years, Abolishes Direct Elections

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday signed into law constitutional amendments that will extend his term by two years until 2030 and scrap direct presidential elections, the government has confirmed.

The sweeping changes, which sailed through both houses of parliament and were finalised by the National Assembly a week ago, include a provision extending presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years. Another amendment gives parliament the power to appoint the president, doing away with direct presidential elections that were introduced in 1987, seven years after independence.

The raft of changes has been labelled a “constitutional coup” by critics. Zimbabwe’s opposition, weakened by years of repression and tainted elections, charges that the amendments will entrench the ruling Zanu-PF party’s grip on power in the resource-rich nation, which it has governed since independence in 1980.

READ MORE: Burkina Faso Orders All Students to Seek Government Approval Before Studying Abroad

“SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED — IT’S NOW LAW,” information ministry senior official Nick Mangwana announced in a post on X that showed a copy of the new act.

Mnangagwa, 83, whose Zanu-PF party holds a parliamentary majority, came to power in 2017 in a military-backed coup that ousted Robert Mugabe at the age of 93 after 37 years in power. The president is nicknamed “The Crocodile” because of his ruthlessness.

About The Author

West Africa Weekly

author

See author's posts