Trending 
Zimbabwe’s Senate has approved controversial constitutional amendments that could keep President Emmerson Mnangagwa in office until 2030, giving the reforms full parliamentary backing after earlier approval by the lower house.
On Wednesday, senators voted overwhelmingly in favour of the amendments, with 75 supporting the bill and four opposing it, according to Senate President Mabel Chinomona.
The changes are among the most contentious political issues in the country, where the 83-year-old Mnangagwa’s Zanu-PF party holds a strong majority in parliament and has ruled since independence in 1980.
With parliamentary approval secured, the bill now awaits Mnangagwa’s signature before it becomes law.
The proposed reforms, already passed by the National Assembly on June 18 with 216 votes in favour and 42 against, would extend presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years.
Also, they will allow parliament to appoint the president rather than hold direct presidential elections, a major shift in Zimbabwe’s political system.
Critics have described the reforms as a “constitutional coup,” saying they are designed to strengthen the ruling ZANU-PF party’s long-standing grip on power.
Opposition groups say the changes will weaken democracy, while activists have reported intimidation, arrests, and attacks linked to opposition to the reforms.
Robert Mugabe ruled Zimbabwe for 37 years before being removed in a military-backed transition in 2017 that brought Mnangagwa to power.
The government has defended the amendments, saying they are meant to ensure political stability and allow development programmes to be completed.
