Story by Bruce Chahwanda
THE Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill is edging closer to a decisive vote in Parliament this week, with growing support from legislators and political analysts predicting the proposed law is likely to secure the numbers required to advance to the Senate.
After several days of debate in the National Assembly, the Bill has continued to attract backing from a majority of lawmakers, including some members from the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), positioning it strongly ahead of the anticipated voting stage.
The proposed constitutional changes have dominated parliamentary proceedings, with legislators debating various provisions of the Bill. Under parliamentary procedure, there is no prescribed number of members required to contribute before debate can be brought to a close. The decision ultimately rests with the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi, particularly when submissions begin to repeat previously raised points.
With debate now entering its final stages, attention has shifted to the arithmetic of the vote.
For the Bill to proceed to the Senate, it requires a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly — a threshold of 187 votes. ZANU PF currently commands 194 seats in the House, compared to the opposition CCC’s 86.
No ruling party legislator has publicly opposed the Bill during the debate, further strengthening expectations that the proposed amendments will secure the necessary support.
Political analyst Mr Gabriel Chaibva said public consultations and parliamentary discussions had demonstrated broad backing for the proposed reforms.
“If we look at the national parliamentary brief and consultative process, the majority of our people were in absolute support of Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill, and that is going to be the guideline for Members of Parliament,” he said.
Mr Chaibva expressed confidence that the Bill would receive overwhelming support in both chambers of Parliament.
“In the National Assembly, there is no issue. ZANU PF has a commanding majority. The Senate consists of mature people who are committed to this country today and into the future, and they see the goodness of the Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill. I have no doubt in my mind that the Bill will receive an overwhelming and commanding majority vote in the Senate,” he added.
Another political analyst, Mr Lazarus Sauti, said the nature of the debate suggested lawmakers were broadly inclined towards approving the legislation.
“Judging by the quality of debates that have been generated on CAB3, it points to an affirmative vote by legislators. We have seen contributions from both ruling party and opposition members. The Bill is likely to sail through,” he said.
The Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill has sparked extensive discussion in Parliament, with legislators debating proposals ranging from electoral reforms to governance structures.
Depending on the pace of the remaining debate, Parliament is expected to move to the voting stage before the end of the week, potentially setting the stage for the Bill’s consideration by the Senate.
