Zimbabwe’s government introduced a bill to parliament on Tuesday that ​would extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term by two years to ‌2030, despite criticism from a fractured opposition and some veterans of the country’s liberation war.

The draft legislation will be debated on Wednesday at a second reading in ​parliament.

Mnangagwa, 83, is meant to step down in 2028 after serving two ​five-year stints as head of state, but his supporters ⁠want to change the constitution to extend presidential terms from five years ​to seven.

They also want presidents to be elected by parliament rather than ​by direct popular vote.

Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi introduced the bill in the lower house of parliament.

Political analysts expect it to sail through as Mnangagwa’s ZANU-PF party has ​a two-thirds majority in the lower house and also overwhelmingly controls ​the upper house through traditional leaders and other proxies who generally vote with it, ‌giving ⁠it the numbers to change the constitution.

Ziyambi has said previously that he expects the legislative process will take about a month.

ZANU-PF has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980, first under longtime leader Robert Mugabe ​and then Mnangagwa, ​who took over ⁠after a 2017 coup.

On Tuesday a group of retired generals and former civil servants publicly voiced their ​opposition to the bill that would extend Mnangagwa’s time ​in power.

They ⁠said they had met with Mnangagwa last month to voice their concerns but he told them “whoever wins, wins”, referring to whether the bill would ⁠pass.

Some war ​veterans and activists also challenged the bill in ​the Constitutional Court, which reserved judgment while it considers their arguments.

Reporting by Chris Takudzwa Muronzi ​and Nelson Banya; Writing by Sfundo Parakozov; Editing by Alexander Winning and Gareth Jones

SOURCE: Reuters Africa