Zimbabwe lawmakers approve bill to replace direct presidential elections with parliamentary vote – Firstpost

Zimbabwe’s National Assembly has approved a controversial constitutional amendment bill that would replace direct presidential elections with a system in which the country’s president is elected by parliament. Supporters say the proposal would ensure policy continuity and political stability, while critics argue it could weaken democracy and further strengthen the ruling party’s hold on power.

Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 was passed on Thursday after 216 lawmakers voted in favour and 42 against. The legislation will now move to the Senate, where it is also expected to secure the two-thirds majority required for constitutional amendments.

If approved, the bill would amend Zimbabwe’s 2013 Constitution by ending direct presidential elections and instead allowing a joint sitting of the National Assembly and Senate to elect the country’s leader.

Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, who sponsored the bill, defended the proposal and rejected claims that it would undermine democratic governance.

Speaking in parliament earlier this month, Ziyambi said the amendment was intended to improve the functioning of the country’s institutions rather than alter its constitutional framework.

“This bill is not an abandonment of our constitutional order in any way, shape or form but a continuation of it,” he said, adding that certain constitutional provisions required refinement after more than a decade of implementation.

The minister also dismissed concerns circulating on social media, insisting that the bill would not extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term, grant him a third term, postpone elections or concentrate power in the presidency.

Opposition figures, activists and human rights defenders argue that the proposal could make it easier for the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union–Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) to maintain control of the country’s political system and potentially extend Mnangagwa’s influence beyond the end of his constitutional term in 2028.