Pres. Emmerson Mnangagwa from Zimbabwe. (Photo: Mike Hutchings/AP)
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed constitutional amendments on Tuesday that will extend his term by two years until 2030, the government said.
The amendments, which among other things stipulate that the president will henceforth be appointed by parliament instead of voters, have been sharply criticized by opposition figures in the country where Mnangagwa’s (83) Zanu-PF party has a parliamentary majority.
“Signed, ratified and done – it is now law,” Nick Mangwana, a senior official in the Ministry of Information, announced in a post on X. The post contained a copy of the new law.
The series of amendments, labeled a “constitutional coup” by critics, includes a provision that would extend presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years.
Another amendment gives parliament the power to appoint the president, thus abolishing direct presidential elections that were introduced in 1987, seven years after independence.
The comprehensive amendments were easily accepted by both houses of parliament and finalized by the national assembly a week ago.
Zimbabwe’s opposition, weakened by years of repression and disputed elections, argues the amendments will strengthen Zanu-PF’s grip on power in the resource-rich country. The party has ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980.
Mnangagwa – nicknamed “the Crocodile” for his ruthlessness – came to power in 2017 after a military-backed coup ousted Robert Mugabe aged 93 after 37 years in power.
SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED- IT’S NOW LAW#CAA pic.twitter.com/1L27g92EJc
— Nick Mangwana (@nickmangwana) July 7, 2026