Source: HISTORIC WEEK AS PARLY RESUMES SITTING – herald
Joseph Madzimure
Zimpapers Politics Hub
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi is expected to introduce the Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill (CAB 3) for the first time in Parliament on Tuesday, marking a critical stage in processes that seek to fundamentally reform Zimbabwe’s governance architecture.
The first reading in Parliament is the formal, introductory stage of the legislative process, where a proposed law is officially presented.
During this stage, the Member of Parliament or minister sponsoring a Bill introduces it to the House by reading its “long title” and objectives.
However, no debate or discussion regarding the merits of the Bill takes place at this stage, after which it is formally placed on the Order Paper before moving to the second reading.
Minister Ziyambi confirmed last week that CAB 3 will be introduced this week when Parliament, which has been in recess since mid-May, resumes sitting on Tuesday.
“It being a Constitutional Bill, it’s not referred to the Parliamentary Legal Committee, which would then allow me — if I am comfortable — to proceed to the second reading speech, where I will formally now unpack the Bill to parliamentarians, explaining the provisions of the Bill, the rationale and opening up debate so that the committees that undertook public hearings can then present their committee reports on what members of the public said,” he said.
“(They will also present) on what they also believe the Bill should be; and then after that it will be opened to all the Members of Parliament to debate, to proffer suggestions on clauses, what they think they should be like — and when all that debate is completed, I will then be able to respond to all the submissions.”
The parliamentary debate, Minister Ziyambi said, would determine whether any clauses should be adjusted or dropped before the Bill advances to the next stage.
“If there is need to adjust or to drop some clauses, I will then, in my closing speech after the second reading speech, indicate if that consideration will be done before we then proceed to the committee stage. But it will depend on the debate — how it goes in Parliament — and hopefully we should be able to conclude the processes by end of June.”
After the 90-day public consultation period ended on May 17, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs has been processing a significant volume of submissions.
It is believed that public consultations for CAB 3 were the most extensive in recent parliamentary history.
The report from the committee is expected to give legislators the context needed to engage meaningfully with one of the most consequential pieces of legislation before the 10th Parliament.
“We will complete the final report on Thursday — first week of June — and present it next week during the second reading of the Bill,” committee chairperson Mr Eddison Zvobgo said in an interview with The Sunday Mail.
“We will also make our own recommendations as a committee.”
The committee held a session on Friday to finalise the consolidation of submissions received from the public.
Mr Zvobgo indicated that the findings were nuanced, with public opinion divided depending on the specific clause in question.
“From our observation, it was not like all clauses were supported — some clauses require some adjustments,” he said.
The legislative path forward follows a structured sequence.
“The substantive debate happens at the second reading stage, where the minister will come in and then go into details in terms of motivating the Bill, explaining the Bill to Members of Parliament. Thereafter, all the other Members of Parliament will then participate in the debate,” added Mr Zvobgo.
Following the second reading, Parliament will proceed to the committee stage, where legislators will examine the Bill clause by clause — the phase in which adjustments flagged by the public are most likely to be tested.
Overall, after the Bill is approved, it will be read for the third time, signalling its passage.
After the Bill sails through, it will be transferred to the Senate, where it will be subjected to the same process.
Among the key highlights, the Bill seeks to extend the Presidential term to seven-year cycles from the current five.
Under the envisaged changes, the President will also be elected by a joint sitting of Parliament.
A new Zimbabwe Electoral Delimitation Commission is also being proposed, while oversight of the voters’ roll will be transferred to the Registrar-General.
Further, it allows the President to appoint 10 additional senators.
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