The Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 has passed through the National Assembly after securing overwhelming support from Members of Parliament, comfortably surpassing the constitutional threshold required for its adoption.
The Bill was approved at the third reading stage after 216 legislators voted in favour while 42 voted against, exceeding the two-thirds majority requirement needed for constitutional amendments.
Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda officially announced the outcome following a formal division of the House.
“After the count, 216 Honourable Members of Parliament voted in favour of the Bill and 42 voted against, meeting the constitutional requirement of a two-thirds majority for a third reading, and I declare that the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment No. 3 Bill be now read the third time,” he said.
The vote marked a significant milestone in a legislative process that began on February 16 when the Bill was gazetted. Debate on the proposed constitutional amendments attracted extensive participation from both ruling and opposition legislators, making it one of the most widely discussed constitutional measures in recent years.
Ahead of the vote, the Speaker ordered a formal division of the House, requiring Members of Parliament to physically separate according to their positions on the Bill. Several opposition legislators joined those supporting the legislation, including Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Chief Whip Charles Moyo.
Tellers from both sides of the House were subsequently appointed to verify attendance and count the votes before the final results were announced.
With 216 votes in support, the Bill comfortably exceeded the 187 votes required to attain the constitutionally mandated two-thirds majority.
Following the announcement, the National Assembly adjourned its proceedings until July 7, 2026.
Speaking after the vote, Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Ziyambi Ziyambi described the passage of the Bill as a significant moment in Zimbabwe’s legislative and democratic development.
“It is indeed a historic moment because no Bill has been debated like this, and it has surpassed the two-thirds majority requirement. In terms of the opposition, it was really progressive because opposition is not supposed to oppose for the sake of opposing. This demonstrates a maturing democracy,” he said.
Minister Ziyambi also highlighted amendments made during the committee stage following consultations with stakeholders and legislators from across the political divide.
“We listened to both the opposition and the ruling party regarding provisions relating to the Zimbabwe Gender Commission and the participation of traditional leaders in politics. It became clear that those clauses were unpopular, and therefore we saw it fit to withdraw them,” he said.
The Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill now proceeds to the Senate, where it will undergo further scrutiny and debate. Should it secure the required majority in the Upper House, it will then be submitted to the President for assent before becoming law.
The successful passage of the Bill in the National Assembly represents a major step in the constitutional amendment process and sets the stage for further deliberations in the Senate in the coming weeks.
