The Zimbabwean parliament has approved legislation that effectively extends President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s tenure, a move that has drawn swift condemnation from the British government. The bill, passed late Tuesday, amends constitutional term limits and allows the president to remain in office until 2030, bypassing a previous two-term cap. Critics argue it entrenches authoritarian rule in a country already grappling with economic collapse and rising bread prices.
For the ordinary Zimbabwean, this political manoeuvre is yet another blow. The cost of a loaf of bread has doubled in the past year, while wages remain stagnant. Unions, already crushed by state repression, face a new front: a government that tightens its grip while the economy burns. Britain’s Foreign Office called the bill a “dangerous step away from democracy,” echoing concerns from human rights groups. But for workers in Harare’s struggling factories, the debate feels distant. They watch as political elites secure their own futures while the real economy – the one of food queues and unpaid wages – unravels.
The legislation now goes to President Mnangagwa for his signature, which is widely expected. It underscores a grim pattern across southern Africa: leaders rewriting rules to cling to power while citizens bear the cost of inflation and poor governance. Labour leaders warn that regional inequality will worsen as Zimbabwe’s crisis deepens, with little oversight from international bodies.
For now, the focus is on the kitchen table. Zimbabweans ask how they will afford the next meal, let alone dream of a political future. Britain’s condemnation, though strong, offers little solace to those who see their democracy slip further away with each parliamentary vote.
