Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has signed into law constitutional amendments extending presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years, a move that will allow him to remain in office until 2030 and delay the country’s next election by two years.

The Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Act, 2026, published as Act No. 6 of 2026 in a special government gazette, follows parliamentary approval of the legislation by both houses last month.

The amendments, strongly opposed by critics, abolish the direct election of the president, replacing it with a vote by members of parliament and senators sitting jointly after each general election or whenever the presidency becomes vacant. The reform marks one of the most significant changes to Zimbabwe’s electoral system since the 2013 constitution introduced direct presidential elections under the post-Mugabe constitutional order.

Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi defended the reforms during parliamentary debate, arguing that longer terms would improve governance and give elected officials more time to implement development programmes.

“That five-year election cycle has proved too short for the work of building and developing the nation,” he said. “The divisive method of electing the president and the restless electoral cycle... reinforce one another to the detriment of the national interest.”

Supporters of the amendments argue that the changes do not remove Zimbabwe’s two-term presidential limit, but instead lengthen the duration of each term. Critics say the effect is to extend Mnangagwa’s rule without seeking a direct mandate from voters and to weaken public participation in choosing the head of state.

Human rights lawyer Doug Coltart warned that the new system could allow lawmakers to repeatedly renew a president’s mandate without returning to voters. “It’s an interpretation that we are now going to have to fight,” Coltart said, according to ZimLive.

The amendments also expand the Senate from 80 to 90 members through presidential appointments, transfer responsibility for voter registration from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to the Registrar General, create a new Delimitation Commission and remove public interviews for judicial appointments.

The changes are likely to intensify concern over the independence of Zimbabwe’s electoral and judicial institutions. The transfer of voter registration away from the electoral commission has drawn particular criticism because control over voters’ rolls has long been a source of dispute between the ruling ZANU-PF party and opposition groups.

The reforms have drawn condemnation from opposition parties, lawyers, church groups and civil society organisations, some of which have mounted Constitutional Court challenges arguing that extending presidential terms required approval through a national referendum. AP reported that critics say the amendments should have gone to a referendum, while supporters argue that the two-term limit remains intact.

The legislation was pushed through parliament with the support of ZANU-PF and some opposition lawmakers. AP reported last week that the Senate approved the bill after the National Assembly had already backed it, clearing the way for presidential assent.

The amendments come amid a broader political debate over succession inside ZANU-PF and the future of Zimbabwe’s leadership after Mnangagwa’s second term. Mnangagwa had previously said he would leave office when his mandate expired in 2028, but the new law extends the electoral calendar and gives him a legal basis to remain in power for another two years.

Mnangagwa, 83, came to power in 2017 after the military-assisted removal of former president Robert Mugabe and was re-elected for a second term in 2023. Mugabe had ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980.

Zimbabwe’s opposition has repeatedly accused ZANU-PF of using state institutions to entrench its rule, while the government says the amendments are intended to strengthen stability, reduce the frequency of costly elections and improve policy continuity.

The changes are expected to face further legal challenges, with opponents arguing that the overhaul undermines the spirit of the 2013 constitution and weakens direct democratic accountability in a country already criticised by Western governments and rights groups over disputed elections, intimidation of government critics and restrictions on political activity.