In
a
notice
issued
this
week,
the
Parliament
said
it
was
acting
in
line
with
Section
328(4)
of
the
Constitution,
which
requires
lawmakers
to
seek
public
views
on
any
proposed
constitutional
amendment.
The
notice
states
that,
once
a
constitutional
Bill
has
been
published,
Parliament
“must
invite
members
of
the
public
to
express
their
views
on
the
proposed
Bill
in
public
meetings
and
through
written
submissions,
and
must
convene
meetings
and
provide
facilities
to
enable
the
public
to
do
so”.
Parliament
said
comments
on
the
Bill
should
be
submitted
by
email
to
the
Clerk
of
Parliament
at
clerk@parlzim.gov.zw
or
delivered
physically
to
Parliament
Building
in
Mt
Hampden,
Harare,
by
15
May
2026.
Public
hearing
dates
will
be
announced
in
due
course.
The
Amendment
Bill
has
generated
debate
among
legal
experts,
politicians
and
civil
society
groups.
Among
the
proposals
is
a
change
to
the
method
of
electing
the
President.
The
Bill
seeks
to
repeal
Section
92
of
the
Constitution
of
Zimbabwe,
which
currently
provides
for
the
President
to
be
elected
by
direct
popular
vote,
and
replace
it
with
a
system
in
which
the
President
would
be
elected
by
Members
of
Parliament
sitting
jointly.
Some
constitutional
lawyers
argue
that
changes
affecting
the
structure
of
presidential
elections
and
related
safeguards
should
be
approached
with
caution,
saying
they
could
have
long-term
implications
for
the
country’s
democratic
framework.
Government
officials,
however,
say
the
proposed
amendments
are
being
processed
in
accordance
with
constitutional
procedures
and
fall
within
Parliament’s
legislative
mandate.