By a Correspondent
Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3) is now awaiting President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s signature after the National Assembly approved amendments made by the Senate during an extraordinary sitting convened by the President.
The National Assembly voted 226-41 in favour of the Bill, which had been returned by the Senate following amendments.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi described the approval as “historic” and a “significant milestone” in Zimbabwe’s legislative process.
If assented to by President Mnangagwa, the Bill will amend the Constitution to extend the presidential term from five years to seven years. It also proposes removing the requirement for a direct presidential election in the event of a vacancy, transferring the responsibility for choosing a successor to Parliament.
Ziyambi said the amendments were largely procedural. Among the changes is a provision requiring the first sitting of a newly elected Parliament to be held within 14 days of the declaration of election results, on a date set by the Clerk of Parliament through a Government Gazette.
The amendments also provide that the Clerk of Parliament will preside over the first sittings of both the National Assembly and Senate until the Speaker of the National Assembly has been elected.
The Bill has, however, attracted strong opposition from critics who argue that the proposed constitutional changes cannot lawfully take effect without first being approved by Zimbabweans in a national referendum.
CAB3 has been one of the country’s most contentious constitutional reform proposals, with supporters arguing it will strengthen governance and improve institutional stability, while opponents maintain that its provisions undermine constitutional safeguards and democratic principles.
