The
Constitution
of
Zimbabwe
Amendment
Bill
(No.
3),
2026
seeks
to
introduce
several
changes,
including
altering
the
method
of
electing
the
President
and
revising
the
composition
of
the
Senate.
Some
legal
analysts
argue
that
the
proposals
risk
undermining
key
provisions
of
the
2013
Constitution,
while
government
officials
maintain
that
the
reforms
fall
within
Parliament’s
constitutional
mandate.
Constitutional
law
scholar
and
human
rights
lawyer
Dr
Justice
Mavedzenge
said
the
proposed
amendments
form
part
of
what
he
described
as
a
broader
pattern
in
Zimbabwe’s
political
history.
“This
is
not
the
first
time
we
have
seen
significant
shifts
in
how
power
is
organised
in
Zimbabwe,”
he
said.
Dr
Mavedzenge
referred
to
the
disputed
2008
elections,
which
led
to
the
formation
of
a
Government
of
National
Unity
in
2009
and
the
eventual
drafting
of
the
2013
Constitution.
He
also
cited
the
2017
military
intervention
that
resulted
in
the
resignation
of
former
President
Robert
Mugabe.
He
argued
that
constitutional
changes
affecting
term
limits
or
electoral
processes
should
be
approached
with
caution,
as
they
may
have
long-term
consequences
for
democratic
stability.
“There
is
a
relationship
between
constitutional
amendments,
electoral
processes
and
political
stability,”
he
said.
“If
safeguards
are
weakened,
it
can
affect
public
confidence
in
governance.”
Dr
Mavedzenge
pointed
to
constitutional
provisions
that
define
presidential
term
limits.
Section
95(2)(b)
sets
a
presidential
term
at
five
years,
while
Section
91(2)
disqualifies
a
person
from
election
as
President
after
serving
two
terms.
He
said
these
provisions
form
part
of
the
constitutional
framework
adopted
in
2013
and
should
not
be
diluted
without
broad
public
consultation.
“If
there
are
genuine
concerns
about
political
tensions,
the
first
duty
of
leadership
is
to
respect
the
Constitution
and
the
people
governed
under
it,”
he
said.
Another
proposed
change
would
repeal
Section
92
of
the
Constitution
and
replace
direct
popular
election
of
the
President
with
a
system
in
which
Members
of
Parliament
elect
the
President
in
a
joint
sitting
of
the
Senate
and
National
Assembly.
Legal
analyst
Dr
Vusumuzi
Sibanda
said
the
proposed
shift
could
significantly
alter
Zimbabwe’s
electoral
system.
He
drew
attention
to
Clause
6
of
the
Bill,
which
seeks
to
amend
Section
120
of
the
Constitution
to
increase
the
number
of
senators
from
80
to
90,
including
10
appointed
by
the
President
for
their
professional
skills
and
competencies.
“When
read
together,
these
clauses
mean
that
appointed
senators
would
participate
in
electing
the
President,”
Dr
Sibanda
said.
“That
has
implications
for
how
balanced
the
process
would
be.”
He
added
that
the
cumulative
effect
of
the
changes
would
reshape
the
structure
of
presidential
elections
and
urged
citizens
to
examine
the
proposals
carefully.
The
debate
comes
amid
broader
discussions
across
Africa
about
constitutional
reform
and
the
balance
of
power
between
branches
of
government.
Parliament
is
expected
to
consider
the
Bill
in
the
coming
months,
with
both
supporters
and
critics
calling
for
robust
public
engagement
before
any
amendments
are
adopted.