Zimbabwe's parliament has approved a constitutional amendment that extends the presidential term from the current five years to seven years. The method of electing the president will also change from a direct vote to a parliamentary selection process.
On July 2, Yonhap News and other outlets reported that the Zimbabwean House of Representatives passed the amendment on June 30 with 226 votes in favor and 41 against.
Earlier, the House had approved the amendment on June 18 with 216 votes for and 42 against. The Senate later passed a revised version that strengthened the powers of the electoral commission, with 75 out of 80 members voting in favor, prompting the House to approve it again.
The finalized amendment includes provisions to extend the presidential term from five to seven years and to change the election method from direct voting to parliamentary selection. The terms for members of both the House and Senate will also increase from five to seven years.
However, the rule limiting the president to two consecutive terms remains unchanged.
Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi stated that the amendment will take effect once it is signed by the president and published in the official gazette.
Once enacted, the amendment will extend the term of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was re-elected in 2023, from 2028 to 2030. Currently 83 years old, Mnangagwa will serve until he is 87.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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