BY LOMQHELE NXUMALO
President has officially signed Constitutional Amendment Act No. 3 into law, completing the legislative process after it was passed by both Parliament and the Senate. The Act has now been published in the Government Gazette and is officially in force.
The signing follows the Senate’s approval of the bill on 24 June, when it was passed with a strong two-thirds majority. Seventy-five senators voted in favour of the amendments, while four voted against them. The bill also received support from members of the opposition, helping it pass with the required majority.
The new law introduces major changes to Zimbabwe’s system of governance and elections.One of the biggest changes is that future Presidents will no longer be elected directly by the public. Instead, Parliament will elect the President.
The Act also extends the terms of office for the President and Members of Parliament from five years to seven years. This means future national elections will be held every seven years instead of every five.
Another important change is that the President can now appoint 10 additional senators. This increases the total number of senators from 80 to 90.
The responsibility for voter registration has been moved from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission ( ZEC) to the Registrar General. A new Delimitation Commission will now be responsible for drawing constituency and ward boundaries.
With the President’s signature and the publication of the Act in the Government Gazette, CAB3 is now part of Zimbabwe’s laws. The changes are expected to have a significant impact on the country’s governance, electoral system and constitutional framework.
