Zimbabwe President Mnangagwa Seeks Term Extension and Life Presidency

Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF party is pushing for constitutional amendments that would remove the public’s right to elect the president and extend the tenure of President Emmerson Mnangagwa until 2030.

According to reporting from the BBC and OkayAfrica, the ruling party has unveiled a draft law that would shift the power to elect the president from the voters to parliament. This move would effectively scrap presidential elections, which have been held in the country since 1990.

The proposed constitutional changes include extending both presidential and parliamentary terms from five years to seven years. The legislation seeks to delay parliamentary elections, currently scheduled for 2028, until 2030.

These amendments would allow President Emmerson Mnangagwa, whose second and final term is scheduled to end in 2028, to remain in office for an additional two years. Bloomberg reported that the ruling party had previously resolved on October 18, 2025, to extend the president’s tenure to 2030 and ordered the government to implement the necessary legal steps.

Political Opposition and Government Defense

The draft legislation has caused deep polarization within Zimbabwe, pitting ZANU-PF against opposition supporters. Tendai Biti, a veteran opposition politician and former finance minister, described the developments as a slow coup that is unfolding in Zimbabwe, according to the BBC.

Opposition circles have expressed growing fears that the ruling party is making a new grab for power. Reports from Al Jazeera indicate that many Zimbabweans fear these planned constitutional changes will eliminate political choice in the country.

ZANU-PF officials have vehemently defended the proposed shake-up. Party official Patrick Chinamasa stated that there is nothing that stops us to change, to go to another system that’s less costly, less controversial.

Public Hearings and Implementation

The Zimbabwean parliament recently held public hearings to allow citizens to express their views on the proposed changes. During a hearing held last week at a sports arena in the capital, Harare, thousands of people attended the event.

During these proceedings, multiple speakers echoed calls for President Mnangagwa to remain in office beyond 2028, with some attendees explicitly stating their support for the bill in its entirety.

The push for these constitutional changes coincides with other government initiatives, including the rollout of new ZiG banknotes, as noted in reports from April 8, 2026.

Under the proposed system, the new parliament would be responsible for electing the next president, further distancing the executive office from a direct popular mandate.