Online Reporter
Farirai Machivenyika-Senior Reporter
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi made the second reading of Constitutional Amendment Bill No.3 in Senate this Tuesday afternoon, highlighting that the Bill only seeks to extend the electoral cycle, not term limits.
“Some state that this Bill hands the President a third term to extend his tenure. The Bill does not do that.
Senate President Mabel Chinomona
“Section 91(2) states that no one may hold the Office of the President for more than two terms, with their full term deemed to be three or more years. This stands in the Constitution, exactly as the people adopted it and this Bill does not touch it in any way,” he said.
The Minister also dismissed claims that members of the Senate and the National Assembly would have extended their terms by passing the Bill.
“The term length has never been a limit on any MP, and lengthening the duration grants no member a seat,” he said.
Members of the Senate.
Minister Ziyambi said the extension of the electoral cycle from five to seven years is meant to curb political toxicity which has been costly to the country through revenue loss.
