Zimbabwe parliament moves to extend presidential term to seven years

The constitutional amendment easily surpassed the two-thirds majority required, signaling a successful push by ZANU-PF to solidify its control. Supporters of the bill argue that the extension will provide the necessary continuity for Mnangagwa’s agenda, while critics view the move as a calculated maneuver to bypass term limits. Rumors of this extension have circulated for two years, gaining momentum through party rallies and official cabinet backing secured in February.

Mnangagwa, often referred to by his nickname "the Crocodile," rose to the presidency following the 2017 military coup that ended Robert Mugabe’s decades-long rule. Despite legal challenges filed by activists and veterans of the liberation war to halt the constitutional change, those efforts were dismissed by the courts this week on technical grounds. The transition toward longer terms mirrors similar political trajectories in countries like Cameroon and Uganda, where aging leaderships have rewritten governing laws to maintain their grip on power.