HARARE – Zimbabwe’s proposed Constitution Amendment (No. 3) Bill is set to enter the next legislative phase, with Parliament preparing to scrutinise the draft law following the conclusion of nationwide public hearings.
The consultations were conducted in line with Section 141 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, which requires Parliament to ensure public participation and stakeholder engagement in the law-making process.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi confirmed that the Bill will soon be tabled for debate once the constitutionally mandated 90-day period has elapsed.
“Consultations are still ongoing and Parliament is still receiving written submissions even though oral hearings were concluded. The relevant committees are now collating the data and producing a report on the consultations,” he said.
Minister Ziyambi explained that the process will move to the second reading stage after May 18, where he will outline the objectives, rationale and provisions of the Bill before Members of Parliament.
Following this, parliamentary committees will present reports based on public input, after which debate will be opened to all legislators. The Bill will then proceed to the committee stage, where MPs will analyse it clause by clause, making amendments where necessary.
Once deliberations are complete, the proposed law will be subjected to a vote requiring a two-thirds majority for passage. If approved, it will move to the Senate for a similar process before being finalised.
The Bill proposes sweeping changes to Zimbabwe’s governance framework. Among the key provisions are extending the presidential term from five to seven years, and introducing a system where the President is elected by a joint sitting of Parliament rather than through a direct public vote.
Other proposed changes include the establishment of a new Zimbabwe Electoral Delimitation Commission, transferring oversight of the voters’ roll to the Registrar-General, and granting the President authority to appoint an additional 10 senators.
The developments mark a significant step in Zimbabwe’s ongoing constitutional reform process, with the outcome of parliamentary debate expected to shape the country’s political landscape in the years ahead.
Source – Sunday Mail
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