Zimbabwe’s Senate on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved controversial constitutional amendments that would keep President Emmerson Mnangagwa in office until 2030, giving the changes full parliamentary support after earlier consent from the lower house.

The amendments are among the most contentious political issues in the country where 83-year-old Mnangagwa’s Zanu-PF party holds a strong majority in parliament and has ruled since independence in 1980.

With the parliament’s backing, the bill next has to be signed by Mnangagwa to pass into law.

Senate president Mabel Chinomona said 75 senators voted in favour and four against.

The bill also sailed through the national assembly on June 18, when 216 voted in favour and 42 against.

Changes could reshape Zimbabwe’s political landscape

The raft of sweeping changes — labelled a “constitutional coup” by critics — include a provision that would extend the presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years.

This means that the last of Mnangagwa’s constitutionally limited two terms would be extended until 2030.

Another amendment gives parliament the power to appoint the president, doing away with direct presidential elections that were introduced in 1987, seven years after independence.

Zimbabwe’s opposition, weakened by years of repression and tainted elections, charges that the measures will entrench Zanu-PF’s grip on power of the resource-rich nation.

Claims of violence and intimidation

Activists who have tried to mobilise resistance have reported intimidation and violence, including arrests or assault by suspected state agents.

Legal challenges to stop or invalidate the amendment process have also failed.

Mnangagwa — nicknamed “The Crocodile” because of his ruthlessness — came to power in 2017 in a military-backed coup that ousted Robert Mugabe at the age of 93 and after 37 years in power.

Judged by some analysts as more autocratic than his predecessor, he was elected for two five-year terms in 2018 and 2023.

When the cabinet approved in February the plan to extend his term, it said this would “enhance political stability and policy continuity to allow development programmes to be implemented to completion”.

Human Rights Watch said in March that authorities were using violence and intimidation against opponents of the amendments.

“Over the last few months, the police and unidentified armed men have threatened, harassed, and beat up several people who are opposed to the proposed constitutional amendment,” it said in a statement.