Tempers fizzle as Zimbabwe leader Mnangagwa’s term extension plan sparks outrage

HARARE-(MaraviPost)-The sun beats down on the streets of Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe’s third-largest urban centre, but it’s the heated debate inside the town’s main aquatic complex that’s really sizzling.

A crowd has gathered, with emotions running high as they discuss a proposed amendment to the country’s constitution.

At the entrance, a woman in a cream floral dress is leading the charge, heckling speakers who support the plan to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term to 2030.

The amendment, if approved, would change presidential and legislative terms from five to seven years and give parliament the power to elect the president.

The proposal has sparked widespread criticism, with opposition figures accusing the government of trying to cling to power.

Currently, the president is chosen through a popular vote in direct elections and can only serve two terms.

But with Mnangagwa in his second term and his ZANU-PF party dominating parliament, critics fear the amendments could make it harder for anyone outside the party to become president.

The bill is part of the government’s “Vision 2030” development agenda, aiming to transform Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income economy.

However, critics argue that the changes will only serve to consolidate power and undermine democracy.

Zimbabwe’s cabinet approved the draft legislation in February, and it’s now headed to parliament for debate.

But with the opposition boycotting the public hearings, citing violence and intimidation, the future of the bill remains uncertain.