Story by Panashe Nagoli
THE Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill (CAB 3) has received overwhelming public support, with more than 537 000 submissions backing the proposed legislation during nationwide consultations, Parliament heard on Wednesday.
The developments emerged after the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi, presented the Second Reading of the Bill in the National Assembly.
Proceedings began with a motion by Honourable Ziyambi to suspend the automatic adjournment of the House and other parliamentary business to allow legislators to focus on the Constitutional Amendment Bill, which has attracted significant national interest.
Following the Second Reading, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Honourable Edison Zvobgo Junior, tabled the committee’s report on the public consultation process.
He revealed that Parliament received a total of 540 037 submissions, with 537 102 supporting the Bill and 2 935 opposing it.
“Parliament received 540 037 submissions, and of these, 537 102 were in strong support of the Bill, while only 2 935 were against it,” he said.
Honourable Zvobgo said the consultations showed strong public support for the establishment of a Zimbabwe Delimitation Commission, which would assume responsibility for constituency boundary delimitation.
“The majority of submissions strongly favoured the establishment of a separate Delimitation Commission, arguing that it would significantly ease the workload currently borne by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC). Respondents believed a dedicated institution would enhance fairness, transparency and accessibility throughout the electoral process,” he said.
He added that the proposed body would promote technical specialisation in constituency delimitation and address concerns raised in previous electoral boundary reviews.
The committee further reported overwhelming support for Clauses 3, 4, 9 and 10 of the Bill, which propose changing the method of electing the President from a direct popular vote to election through Parliament, as well as extending the electoral cycle from five to seven years.
Honourable Zvobgo said the committee found merit in the proposals, noting that a parliamentary appointment model could reduce the costs associated with national elections.
“The committee is convinced that adopting a legislative appointment model would significantly reduce the fiscal burden associated with direct elections. The committee also observed that major developmental projects, particularly those with far-reaching socio-economic benefits, require time to mature, and that five years is often insufficient,” he said.
Several Members of Parliament welcomed the opportunity to debate the Bill, saying they would represent the views expressed by their constituents during the consultation process.
Mt Darwin South legislator, Honourable Kudakwashe Mupamhanga, said residents in his constituency had instructed him to support the Bill in its entirety.
Mutema-Musikavanhu Member of Parliament, Honourable Angeline Gata, said her constituents viewed the Bill as important for policy continuity and national development.
Mazowe North legislator, Honourable Tsungai Makumbe, said Members of Parliament should carefully scrutinise each clause before debate begins.
Meanwhile, Glen View North MP, Honourable Happymore Chidziva, said his constituents had expressed particular interest in provisions relating to traditional leaders, while Glen View South legislator, Hon. Tsitsi Taomera, said residents in her constituency were broadly supportive of the Bill.
Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, adjourned the House at the close of proceedings and urged legislators to study both the Second Reading presentation and the committee report ahead of debate, which is expected to commence on Thursday.
Once debate on the Bill has been concluded, Honourable Ziyambi will deliver his response to issues raised by Members of Parliament and indicate whether any amendments will be considered before the legislative process proceeds to the next stage.
