A constitutional amendment bill proposing the extension of elected officials’ terms of office by two years, together with a raft of governance reforms, is set to be introduced in Parliament on Tuesday, marking the beginning of a legislative process that could significantly reshape Zimbabwe’s political and electoral landscape.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi is expected to present the bill for its first reading before it is referred to the Parliamentary Legal Committee for examination.
The committee will assess whether any provisions of the proposed legislation are inconsistent with the Constitution and submit its findings to the National Assembly.
Following the committee’s report, the Government may make adjustments to the bill before it proceeds to its second reading and debate in the National Assembly. The proposed legislation will subsequently be considered by the Senate before returning to the lower house for a third reading and final vote.
Should the bill secure the required two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament, it will be submitted to President Emmerson Mnangagwa for assent and enactment into law.
Speaking on the legislative process, Minister Ziyambi recently said he was confident Parliament would conclude consideration of the bill within the month.
“We expect the legislative process to be completed by the end of June, subject to Parliament granting the necessary approval,” he said.
One of the most significant proposals contained in the bill is the extension of the terms of office of the President, Members of Parliament and local authority councillors from 2028 to 2030.
The bill also seeks to amend the method of electing the President by repealing Section 92 of the Constitution, which currently provides for direct election by citizens. Under the proposed changes, the President would instead be elected by Members of Parliament during a joint sitting of the National Assembly and Senate, with the successful candidate required to obtain more than half of the valid votes cast.
Explaining the proposed voting system in Parliament, Ziyambi said legislators would vote openly.
“Voting by Members of Parliament on the constitutional amendment bill will be conducted through a show of hands,” he said.
In another major reform, responsibility for voter registration, voter rolls and voter registers would be transferred from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to the Registrar-General.
The proposed legislation further seeks to increase Senate membership from 80 to 90 through the addition of 10 senators appointed by the President on the basis of professional expertise and competencies.
A new Zimbabwe Electoral Delimitation Commission would also be established to oversee the drawing of electoral boundaries, a responsibility currently exercised by ZEC. The commission would be chaired by a person qualified to serve as a Supreme Court judge and would include four members with expertise in law, governance, demographics and electoral affairs.
Additional amendments contained in the bill include changes to the qualifications required for appointment as Attorney-General, as well as the abolition of the Gender Commission and the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission.
The proposed legislation follows a 90-day nationwide consultation process that attracted participation from civic organisations, political parties, churches, legal experts and members of the public. While some stakeholders expressed support for aspects of the reforms, others raised concerns over certain provisions.
Some stakeholders have argued that provisions extending the terms of elected officials should be subjected to a referendum.
“Any proposal that extends the tenure of elected office bearers should be placed before the people through a referendum,” some participants submitted during the consultation process.
Government, however, maintains that the proposed amendments can be effected through Parliament without the need for a referendum.
Several court applications challenging aspects of the proposed amendments remain pending, even as Parliament prepares to begin formal consideration of the bill.
