Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba [email protected]
THE Zanu-PF Midlands Province has submitted 89 000 written petitions to the Parliament of Zimbabwe in support of the Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill (CAB-3), party provincial chairperson Cde Edison Chiherenge has said.
CAB3 is the culmination of Resolution Number 1 debated and adopted through Zanu-PF structures. It began at the grassroots, moved through districts, was debated at DCCs, became a slogan at inter-district meetings, was adopted at provincial conferences, forwarded to the Central Committee, ratified at two National People’s Conferences and seconded by the Politburo.
Initially, Resolution Number One was about a third term and President Mnangagwa has openly opposed the move, declaring that he would respect the two-term limit.
The party then sought a constitutional mechanism to ensure continuity without violating term limits. The solution was to extend the electoral cycle to seven years. This was not about extending one man’s rule but about consolidating Vision 2030, political analysts have said.
As part of the ongoing engagement process, any citizen or permanent resident of Zimbabwe has the right to petition Parliament regarding CAB3.
The process involves drafting a formal written document outlining one’s position, including National ID number and signature.
People in the Midlands Province have come together and signed a petition that is going to be submitted to the Parliament of Zimbabwe.
The Bill would be introduced in Parliament in this week, accompanied by a Second Reading speech explaining each clause.
Debate would follow guided by the Committee’s report.
The process involves publication, consultation, introduction, debate, passage and finally assent.
In an interview on Thursday, Cde Chiherenge said the Midlands Province had managed to mobilise massive support for the CAB 3 during the recent public consultations.
“As the Midlands Province, we have submitted 89 000 written submissions to Parliament in support of CAB-3. We would like to commend the people who came forward in their numbers during the consultations,” he said.
Cde Chiherenge said the petition is a declaration by the ordinary Zimbabweans that they understood the importance of CAB3.
“We are so excited by the overwhelming response, which actually shows that we are fully behind people centred and pro-development Government programmes,” he said.
Analysts have said that CAB 3 is not a mere exercise in legislative tinkering but is a structural reform designed to stabilise governance, strengthen institutions and propel Zimbabwe towards Vision 2030.
The public have already had their say during the 90-day consultation process, which reached all 71 districts.
Their views were clear, decisive and overwhelmingly in favour of CAB3.
Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has made clear that CAB3 is following a transparent and participatory roadmap.
Following the consultations, he stated: “The Committee will collate all feedback into a written report for Parliament. The Bill will then be introduced in the week of 18 May, and I will deliver the Second Reading speech explaining each clause in detail,” he said.
“Debate in the National Assembly will follow, guided by the Committee’s report. There will be no referendum, as the Bill does not touch entrenched provisions that require one.”
The roadmap shows that CAB3 is neither being rushed nor imposed.
It is a structured process that respects constitutional requirements and ensures citizens’ voices remain central, observers say.
