Zimbabwe’s parliament has approved sweeping constitutional amendments that would extend Presidential tenure by two years and abolish direct presidential elections, clearing the final legislative hurdle before the changes become law.
The bill now awaits Mnangagwa’s assent after the National Assembly voted 226 to 41 on Tuesday to adopt revisions earlier passed by the Senate.
The amendments form the core of Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3), a package critics have labelled a “constitutional coup.”
READ ALSO : Zimbabwe to Consider Bill on Presidential Term Extension
CAB3 extends presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years, meaning Mnangagwa’s second and final term – originally ending in 2028 – would run until 2030.
It also replaces direct presidential elections with a system in which parliament appoints the president, reversing an electoral reform in place since 1987.
Opposition parties and legal experts argue the changes entrench ZANU PF’s hold on power and violate constitutional provisions barring incumbents from benefitting from alterations to term limits.
They have called for a national referendum, saying the amendments undermine democratic accountability.
APA/Shakirat Sadiq
