Mnangagwa Signs Law Extending Presidential Term to 2030

President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Act, 2026, into law on July 7, extending his presidential tenure from 2028 to 2030. The legislation, approved by a two-thirds majority in parliament in June, extends both presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years. In a significant shift in governance, the law abolishes direct presidential elections, granting parliament the power to appoint the president.

Additional provisions under the act expand the Senate from 80 to 90 members through presidential appointments, remove public interviews for judicial appointments, and transfer voter registration duties from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to the Registrar-General. The government stated these reforms would enhance political stability and policy continuity, though the move contradicts a 2018 pledge by Mnangagwa to leave office after ten years.

Opposition figures and human rights lawyers have condemned the legislation as a "constitutional coup," arguing the changes bypass the requirement for a national referendum and facilitate the "complete privatization of power." Reports from Human Rights Watch indicate that authorities have used violence, intimidation, and arrests to suppress dissent, including banning public meetings. While legal challenges to overturn the amendments are pending in the courts, the government has maintained that the law is now enacted.