Zimbabwe’s cabinet has approved draft legislation that would allow 83 year old president Emmerson Mnangagwa, to extend his stay in office until at least 2030.
The approved amendments include extending the presidential term from five to seven years and having parliament choose the president instead of the electorate,
Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said public consultations would be held before the bill heads to parliament for debate, where both chambers are dominated by the ruling Zanu-pf party.
Opposition politicians and analysts insisted it would require the approval of two-thirds of both houses of parliament and a national referendum.
Mnangagwa came to power in 2017 in a military-backed coup that ousted Robert Mugabe, who was president for 30 years, and his Zanu-PF announced plans in October to extend his term beyond 2028.
Attempts to demonstrate against the plan have been met with a police crackdown that put scores of people in jail.
