Zimbabwe lawmakers back legislation extending president's time in power

Zimbabwe lawmakers back legislation extending president's time in power as the country’s parliament moves to lengthen presidential terms. On June 18 in Harare, the lower house passed a bill to extend presidential terms from five to seven years, allowing President Emmerson Mnangagwa to remain in office until 2030. The vote was 216 lawmakers in favor, surpassing the 187 votes needed for a two-thirds majority. The bill now goes to the upper house, where it is expected to pass because Mnangagwa’s ZANU-PF party controls it through traditional leaders and other proxies. Mnangagwa, 83, is set to finish his second term in 2028, with signs of extending his tenure emerging about two years earlier. While supporters argue it strengthens accountability and stability, critics call it a pretext. The article also notes similar constitutional changes in Cameroon and Uganda, and mentions that court challenges by activists were struck off for technical reasons.