Source: Constitution Bill hearings begin across districts – herald
Zimpapers Reporters
PARLIAMENT is deploying 11 teams throughout the country to conduct public hearings for the Constitution of Zimbabwe (Amendment No. 3) Bill, 2026 which start tomorrow.
The public hearings mark a critical stage in Zimbabwe’s constitutional reform process, giving citizens a direct platform to shape proposed changes that could significantly alter the country’s electoral framework and governance structure.
The four-day hearings, which will run until Thursday, will be conducted across all the 64 districts, with thousands of Zimbabweans expected to participate. The exercise forms part of a broader 90-day consultation period that began on February 17, following the gazetting of the Bill.
Clerk of Parliament Mr Kennedy Chokuda said all logistical arrangements for the hearings had been finalised.
“Everything is now in place for the hearings which run from March 30 to April 2,” he said.
“There are 11 teams that will be on the ground across the country. We have also started receiving submissions in the form of emails, as well as hard copies at our new Parliament building and the old Parliament building in Harare’s CBD (central business district).”
Mr Chokuda said special desks would be set up at all venues to receive written submissions during the hearings.
“In addition, during the public hearings we will have special desks where citizens can drop off their submissions in hard copies,” he said.
“We will then compile these submissions once the hearings are completed and submit them to the committee.”
Public hearings are a key component of Zimbabwe’s law-making process, designed to ensure that citizens have a direct voice in legislation.
During these sessions, individuals and organisations present their views orally, while Members of Parliament record the submissions for consideration.
In addition, written submissions are accepted both in advance and during the hearings, allowing for wider participation, including from those unable to attend in person.
This process helps entrench democratic principles by incorporating public input into national laws.
ZANU PF chief whip Cde Pupurai Togarepi said the ruling party’s legislators would play an active role in mobilising citizens to participate.
“During the public hearings, members of the public will speak and Members of Parliament take note of these views, then bring them to Parliament for debate,” he said.
He further said ZANU PF legislators had been conducting mobilisation efforts in line with party resolutions to ensure maximum public awareness and participation.
Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) chief whip Mr Charles Moyo urged party members to actively engage in the public hearings.
“We are mobilising our party members and supporters to go and participate in the Constitutional Amendment Bill 3 when it starts,” he said.
“This is a constitutional process; it’s their constitutional right to participate. We urge our members to go and participate in the public hearings and air their views on the constitutional changes.
“As the party, we stand guided by the outcome of the public hearings.”
CCC has since expressed support for the Bill’s direction, particularly its emphasis on governance reforms and electoral adjustments.
In caucus resolutions recently, Mr Moyo indicated that the party viewed the proposed changes as necessary for national progress and had instructed its legislators to engage communities at the grassroots level.
Once the hearings are concluded, Parliament will compile reports based on the submissions before the Bill is formally introduced in the National Assembly for debate and possible adoption.
The Constitution of Zimbabwe (Amendment No. 3) Bill, 2026 contains several far-reaching proposals.
Among its key provisions is the realignment of electoral cycles with the country’s developmental trajectory, alongside changes to the structure and administration of elections.
The Bill proposes a shift from the system of directly electing the President through national elections to a Parliamentary process, while extending the Presidential election cycle from five to seven years.
Under the existing framework, a Presidential candidate must secure an absolute majority, with a run-off election held if no candidate achieves this threshold, a process overseen by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
In addition, the Bill seeks to transfer responsibility for voter registration, as well as the compilation and maintenance of the voters’ roll, from ZEC to the Registrar-General, citing the need for improved efficiency given the office’s custodial role over national records.
Overall, the proposed amendments introduce a range of legal reforms aimed at strengthening constitutional governance, clarifying institutional roles, promoting political stability and enhancing the efficiency of the State architecture.
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