Zimbabwe's Parliament has passed the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Bill (CAB3), which includes provisions to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa's term by two years, keeping him in office until 2030. The bill also extends the terms of the president, Members of Parliament, and local authorities from five to seven years and replaces direct presidential elections with a system where Parliament elects future presidents. This move has been met with significant debate but passed with substantial support, with 218 lawmakers voting in favor, exceeding the 187 votes required.
The contentious bill, which the ruling ZANU-PF party argues will bring political stability and economic development, has faced strong criticism from opposition lawmakers. Concerns include the delay of elections scheduled for 2028, the effective extension of Mnangagwa's final term without a referendum, and the transfer of voter registration from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to the Registrar-General's Office. Despite these objections, the ZANU-PF's commanding majority in both the National Assembly and the Senate makes the bill's final approval highly probable.
Several other significant amendments are part of CAB3, including the establishment of a Zimbabwe Delimitation Commission for boundary demarcation and the expansion of the Senate from 80 to 90 members, with 10 appointed by the President. While a highly debated provision regarding the military's mandate was amended to soften its language after extensive deliberation, the core aspects of term extension and altered election procedures remain. The bill, having passed the National Assembly, now moves to the Senate for further consideration, with observers expecting its passage into law.
