Online Reporter
Gibson Mhaka
Zimpapers Politics Hub
THE curtain is coming down on one of Zimbabwe’s most extensive constitutional consultation exercises, with well over 300 000 submissions having been received by Parliament on the proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3).
Evidently, the message emerging from across the country appears unmistakably clear — the people have spoken.
As the mandatory 90-day consultation period provided for under Section 328 of the Constitution officially closed on Monday, attention now shifts to Parliament, where legislators are expected to debate and ultimately decide the fate of the proposed amendments from June 2.
However, after an exhaustive nationwide consultation process that reached all 64 districts, Members of Parliament (MPs) and Senators preparing to return to the National Assembly have absolutely no room to betray the electorate.
They now carry a constitutional and moral obligation to reflect the views of their constituencies rather than personal preferences or partisan manoeuvring.
The essence of representative democracy is that elected officials act as the voice of the people who sent them to Parliament.
Once citizens have been allowed to express themselves in such a broad and structured process, there remains little room for parliamentarians to deviate from the people’s collective position.
This is particularly so given the scale, transparency and inclusivity of the consultation exercise.
Gazetted on February 16, CAB 3 seeks to amend several provisions of the Constitution and potentially reshape aspects of Zimbabwe’s governance architecture, electoral administration and institutional systems.
The Bill proposes, among other changes, a parliamentary-based process for electing the President and replacing the current five-year presidential tenure with a seven-year term.
It also seeks to introduce legal reforms aimed at strengthening constitutional governance, promoting political stability, clarifying institutional roles and improving the efficiency of State systems.
Importantly, the consultation process itself has become a major democratic milestone.
Multitudes of Zimbabweans physically delivered submissions to Parliament, while others used email platforms and participated during the four-day public hearings conducted between March 31 and April 2 throughout the country.
From urban centres to remote rural communities, citizens were given an opportunity to interrogate the proposed amendments and register their support, concerns or recommendations.
This broad participation has significantly strengthened the legitimacy of the process.
In democracies, constitutional reforms often attract criticism when citizens feel excluded or inadequately consulted.
In the case of CAB3, however, the Government and Parliament embarked on a far-reaching exercise designed to ensure that every Zimbabwean willing to participate had a platform to do so.
With hundreds of thousands of people voicing their opinions on the core tenets of the Bill, the path ahead in Parliament should be a smooth, administrative passage.
The role of the legislators now is simple: To endorse their constituencies’ views without hesitation.
President Mnangagwa has since commended the process, describing it as a historic democratic exercise.
Speaking to The Herald and ZBC at State House in Harare on Monday, the President said no community was left behind during the consultations.
“I think the public was given an opportunity to express their views. I do not think there is a part of the country which was left out, from what I have been briefed by my people,” said President Mnangagwa.
The President also applauded the media for ensuring extensive public awareness around the consultations.
“I also think the Press has done a fantastic job in making sure it was publicised so that everybody had an opportunity to express themselves. This is what it ought to be in a democracy,” he said.
The significance of the President’s remarks lies not only in acknowledging the scale of participation, but also in affirming the constitutional principle that sovereignty ultimately resides in the people.
This presidential validation also underscores a fundamental reality: The Bill has undergone the ultimate test of public scrutiny.
It has been weighed, debated and accepted by the ordinary Zimbabwean on the ground.
Therefore, any lawmaker who attempts to throw spanners into the legislative works during floor debates will not be opposing the Government; they will be actively opposing the very electorate that gave them political breath.
Once citizens have spoken through constitutionally recognised channels, elected representatives are expected to transmit those views faithfully into the legislative process.
This places parliamentarians at a critical crossroads.
As representatives elected by communities across Zimbabwe, MPs are not entering Parliament to substitute the people’s views with personal convictions detached from constituency positions.
Rather, they are expected to communicate the collective aspirations expressed during the consultations.
In essence, Parliament now becomes the conveyor belt of the people’s voice.
Political observers note that opposing the dominant views expressed by one’s constituency would amount to betraying the electorate that entrusted legislators with representational authority.
Representative democracy functions on accountability to the electorate.
Where consultations have been conducted comprehensively and transparently, MPs are expected to align with the people’s submissions.
The CAB3 process has, therefore, significantly narrowed the space for political grandstanding.
The consultations also demonstrated growing political maturity among Zimbabweans, who engaged the process with notable enthusiasm.
The reception of more than 300 000 submissions reflects a citizenry increasingly conscious of constitutional processes and governance issues.
It equally demonstrates public confidence in constitutional engagement mechanisms established under the law.
Crucially, Section 328 of the Constitution was specifically designed to prevent constitutional amendments from being conducted in secrecy or without public scrutiny.
The provision compels Parliament to consult citizens before proceeding with Constitutional Amendment Bills.
By fully complying with this requirement, Parliament has fortified the legitimacy of the process and insulated the Bill from accusations of exclusionary politics.
