Zimbabwe Vote To Extend President's Term Underscores The Staying Power Of Africa's Aging Leaders

HARARE, Zimbabwe — Zimbabwe lawmakers voted connected Thursday for law changes that would defer elections and widen nan tenure of nan country’s 83-year-old president. from 5 to 7 years.

The ballot underscores nan staying powerfulness of Africa’s aging leaders connected a continent that has immoderate of nan world’s oldest rulers contempt boasting nan youngest organization globally.

Zimbabwe’s National Assembly overwhelmingly approved law amendments that would postpone elections owed successful 2028 to 2030 and widen President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s word by 2 years.

The bill, which besides proposes shifting statesmanlike elections from nonstop celebrated ballot to action by lawmakers, has to beryllium approved by nan Senate, wherever it is besides expected to pass.

If nan measure is passed, Mnangagwa would subordinate a nine that includes immoderate of nan world’s oldest and longest-serving leaders successful Africa. He came to powerfulness successful 2017 aft nan military-led ouster of nan precocious Robert Mugabe, who astatine 93 was past nan world’s oldest caput of state.

Recent study by nan Pew Research Center showed that 16 of nan world’s 186 nationalist leaders are older than President Trump, who turned 80 past week. Seven of nan 10 oldest leaders are successful Africa, according to nan analysis, moreover though nan continent has a median property of astir 20 and much than 60% of its organization is nether 30, according to nan United Nations.

“The organization successful Africa is getting younger, but nan mean property of presidents is rising, and tenures are getting longer,” said Blessing Vava, a populist and governance researcher.

“Zimbabwe is not an exception. It’s nan continental norm,” added Vava, who is besides head of nan Johannesburg-based Southern Africa Coalition for Democracy and Accountability. “Zimbabwe is conscionable 1 information constituent successful a overmuch broader communicative of law erosion for governmental survival.”

Cameroon’s Paul Biya is nan world’s oldest caput of authorities astatine 93. He has been successful powerfulness since 1982 successful a state wherever astir 70% of nan organization is nether 35. Biya first assumed agency a twelvemonth aft Ronald Reagan became U.S. president, and nan United States has had 7 presidents since Reagan.

Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has been successful powerfulness for 47 years successful neighboring Equatorial Guinea. At 84, he remains Africa’s longest-serving ruler and has moreover appointed his boy arsenic vice president.

In Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara, 84, was sworn successful for a 4th word successful December 2025 aft winning an predetermination marked by debased turnout and unrest.

Malawi past twelvemonth elected Peter Mutharika, now 85, returning him to agency aft serving arsenic president from 2014 to 2020.

While successful Uganda, 81-year-old Yoweri Museveni — a U.S. state connected location information who has faced accusations of authoritarianism from critics — was sworn successful for a seventh consecutive word successful May, extending his norm to 4 decades.

Like Mnangagwa, Museveni, Ouattara, Biya and Obiang person altered aliases removed law restrictions to prolong their clip successful office.

According to nan Africa Center for Strategic Studies, activity tenure connected nan continent of 54 countries is marked by stark contrasts. About 20 African countries actively uphold word limits, nan deliberation vessel says, while others person abolished aliases circumvented them, aliases are nether subject regimes that person suspended law rule, allowing long-serving leaders to stay successful office.

At nan aforesaid time, Africa has seen a caller procreation of younger leaders look successful caller years.

Bassirou Diomaye Faye became 1 of nan continent’s youngest elected leaders erstwhile he won Senegal’s 2024 predetermination astatine property 44. Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, 49, has been successful agency since 2018. Others person travel to powerfulness done subject takeovers. Mahamat Idriss Deby, 42, seized powerfulness successful Chad aft his father, Idriss Deby, was killed fighting rebels successful 2021, earlier winning elections successful 2024. In Burkina Faso, service skipper Ibrahim Traoré took powerfulness successful a 2022 coup and, astatine 38, is Africa’s youngest ruler.

Military coups person besides brought younger leaders to powerfulness successful Mali and Guinea.

Still, analysts opportunity overmuch of nan continent remains dominated by an aging governmental elite, leaving constricted opportunities for younger generations to presume powerfulness democratically.

“So you get 25-year-olds making up nan mostly of a country’s population, but 75-year-olds determine nan campaigner aliases rule,” said Vava, nan analyst. “Youth are mobilized for votes and not for power.”

Mutsaka writes for nan Associated Press.