Mnangagwa Bypasses Norms to Pack Senate

President Mnangagwa has rammed through controversial constitutional changes, with 10 new senators sworn in on September 1, 2026, despite opposition claims of a democratic siege. The move bypasses established legislative norms, consolidating executive power ahead of the next election cycle. The core vulnerability is the widening chasm between legal forms and political reality, inflaming internal factional and civil society resistance.