Zimbabwe’s political landscape is abuzz following Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi’s introduction of a constitutional amendment bill in Parliament. The proposed legislation seeks to extend the tenure of the country’s 83-year-old President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, by two years, pushing his term to 2030. Additionally, the bill aims to shift presidential elections from a direct popular vote to selection by lawmakers and lengthen the terms for the president, Members of Parliament, councilors, and mayors from five to seven years.
This move, debated in Parliament on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, has ignited political tensions, with critics arguing that such an extension requires a national referendum. The ruling ZANU-PF party, which holds a majority in Parliament, is expected to support the bill. President Mnangagwa assumed power in 2017 after the military-backed ouster of his predecessor, Robert Mugabe.
Key Players Involved
- Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi: Introduced the Constitutional Amendment Bill No.3 (CAB 3) in Parliament.
- President Emmerson Mnangagwa: The 83-year-old incumbent whose term the bill seeks to extend to 2030.
- ZANU-PF Party: The ruling party with a parliamentary majority, expected to pass the bill.
Event Timeline
- June 2, 2026: Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi introduces the constitutional amendment bill in Parliament.
- June 21, 2023 (Historical Context): President Emmerson Mnangagwa, with Ziyambi Ziyambi, outside the nomination court in Harare.
- 2028 (Original Election Year): The year elections were originally due, now proposed to be deferred by two years.
- 2030 (Proposed End of Term): The new proposed end of President Mnangagwa’s term if the bill passes.
