Zimbabwe is set to table the Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill in the National Assembly on Tuesday for its first reading, as the government moves to conclude the constitutional process by the end of June.
The Bill, which includes proposals to extend the presidential term, will be introduced by Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi.
The Bill, which was officially published in the government gazette on 16 February, was later subjected to public consultations that ended on 18 May.
The proposed amendment has attracted widespread attention from political actors, business groups and civil society organisations, making it one of the most closely watched legislative processes in the country this year.
Government officials say “the constitutional review process is aimed at refining governance structures, although the proposals have continued to generate debate across different sectors.”
The Bill is expected to proceed through the legislative process in the coming weeks as stakeholders continue to express varying positions on its provisions.
Ziyambi said “he has already notified the Speaker of Parliament and expects the second reading to follow on Wednesday, with MPs given space to debate the proposals once parliamentary committees present their findings”.
Government approved the Bill in February, setting a target to finalise all legislative steps by the end of June.
The amendment seeks to extend the presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years, transfer the functions of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission to the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, and repeal Section 281(2), which bars traditional leaders from participating in partisan politics.
The Bill now enters the formal parliamentary stage, where lawmakers will debate its provisions before it proceeds to subsequent readings and voting.
Authorities say the process is intended to be completed swiftly to allow the country to focus on other national priorities.
AP
