ALMOST DONE DEAL: Mnangagwa Summons Parly and Senate To Finalise CAB3 to CA3

HARARE – President Emmerson Mnangagwa has summoned Zimbabwe’s National Assembly to an extraordinary sitting on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, to consider the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Bill following its passage in the Senate. The notice, issued by Clerk of Parliament K.M. Chokuda under Section 110(2)(c) of the Constitution, directs all Members of the National Assembly to attend the session at 2:15 p.m. (1415 hours) at the Parliament building. The sitting will address amendments made by the Senate to the bill, officially designated H.B. 1B, 2026. The bill, which passed the National Assembly on June 18 by 216 votes to 42 and the Senate on June 24, includes significant changes to Zimbabwe’s governance framework. Key provisions reportedly extend the terms of office for the president, members of parliament, and local councillors from five to seven years, and shift the election of future presidents from direct popular vote to selection by a joint sitting of Parliament. Critics, including some opposition figures and commentators on social media, have questioned the president’s direct involvement in convening the session and raised broader concerns about the bill’s implications for term limits and democratic processes. Bulawayo mayor and legal expert, David Coltart, a respected lawyer, said the president would have been much better advised if he had chosen to act in terms of Section 110 (2)(b), referred the “Bill to the Constitutional Court for an opinion or advice on its constitutionality”. "This action - "summoning Parliament for an extraordinary sitting to conduct special business), in terms of Section 110(2)(c) ) appears to be moving with undue haste and one wonders why when so many lawyers including the the Law Society of Zimbabwe have questioned the Bill’s constitutionality," said Coltart. Supporters argue the amendments modernize institutions and align with practices in other jurisdictions. The extraordinary recall follows standard constitutional procedure for urgent parliamentary business. Once the National Assembly considers the Senate’s input, the bill is expected to proceed toward presidential assent if approved. No referendum is required according to government legal advice, though debates continue over constitutional safeguards on term limits.