Online Reporter
Zimpapers Reporter
SCORES of people gathered in Ward 21 in Bubi District on Friday to celebrate the successful enactment of Constitution Amendment Act Number 3 (CAA3), which must now be followed by alignment of the ruling Zanu-PF party constitution.
ZANU PF Matabeleland North provincial chairman, Cde Richard Moyo, who is also Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, constituency legislator, Cde Simelisizwe Sibanda, graced the event among other senior dignitaries.
In his remarks, Cde Moyo said now that CAA3 was in place, the ruling party must swiftly align its constitution with the amended national Constitution, which means no party positions should be contested before 2030.
He said the amendment had received overwhelming support from ZANU-PF structures, beginning at grassroots level before being taken through Parliament and Senate.
“It’s a special day today. What you people of Bubi did is massive. We started at branch and cell level until provincial. You overwhelmingly said yes to Constitutional Amendment Bill Number Three, and now it is law,” he said.
Cde Moyo said the issue would now have to be taken to the party’s next conference, where members would push for the Zanu-PF constitution to be aligned with the national Constitution.
“As we are going to the next conference for the party, we want to go there and say, let the party constitution be aligned to the national Constitution. No positions should be contested until 2030,” he said.
He said the amendment had been debated and passed by Parliament before proceeding to the Senate, where it was also approved.
“We debated about the matter as members of Parliament and passed it, together with those from the opposition. After that it went to Senate and everyone, except about three members of the opposition, gave it the green light,” said Cde Moyo.
Bubi legislator, Cde Sibanda who is also Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, said his vote in Parliament reflected the position taken by his constituents.
“As your representative in Parliament, after you people said yes to CAB 3, I had to push your voice. I stand and represent the people of Bubi, hence I voted yes because you had said yes,” said Cde Sibanda.
The event marked the latest grassroots mobilisation around the Constitutional Amendment following its passage through Parliament and Senate and subsequent enactment into law.
The celebrations in Bubi constituency come at a time when ZANU PF has embarked on a wholesale review of its constitution to align the party’s founding document with recent amendments to the national Constitution. The proposed changes are expected to be tabled at the ruling party’s National People’s Conference in Chinhoyi next month.
The review, which is being undertaken by the party’s Legal Standing Committee with technical assistance from Government departments, including the Attorney-General’s Office, is also intended to simplify the party’s constitution so that it can be easily understood by ordinary members.
ZANU PF Secretary for Legal Affairs Cde Ziyambi Ziyambi, who is also Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, has said the review was being undertaken following a resolution by the party membership to align its constitution with changes introduced through Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment Act No. 3.
“Review of the ZANU PF Constitution was one of the resolutions that the membership made, to align it with amendments effected through Constitution Amendment Number 3,” Cde Ziyambi told our Harare Bureau.
“We have started the process and we have a Legal Standing Committee which has been working on the adjustments this past week. We are reviewing our constitution to be aligned to the National Constitution.”
He said the proposed amendments would be presented to the Conference for consideration and possible adoption in accordance with the party’s constitutional procedures.
“We have done a wholesome review of the Constitution so that it is easy to understand for ordinary members and not just legal minds,” he said.
The constitutional review comes as the ruling party intensifies preparations for its 23rd Annual National People’s Conference, which will be held at Chinhoyi University of Technology from October 12 to 17.
Cde Ziyambi also said the party had resolved that President Mnangagwa would remain its presidential candidate whenever its next Congress is convened.
Blessing Chizhande