00:00Zimbabwe's President Emerson Mnangagwa has signed into law a constitutional amendment
00:05extending his term in office by two years, allowing him to remain president until 2023.
00:12Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana confirmed the legislation had been signed after it was
00:17approved by both houses of parliament last month, saying it is now officially law. The amendment
00:23also introduces a major change to the country's electoral system, allowing future presidents to
00:29be elected by parliament instead of through a direct popular vote. Calls to extend Mnangagwa's
00:36presidency first gained momentum around two years ago, when supporters at Arulings and UPF rallies
00:43urged him to stay in office beyond the end of his second term in 2028. The governing party formally
00:50endorsed the constitutional changes last year, with Zimbabwe's cabinet giving its backing earlier this
00:57year. The move is expected to intensify debate over the country's democratic process and political
01:04future.
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