By Victor Fanuel
HARARE — Parliament sat beyond midnight on Tuesday after opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislators successfully blocked attempts by the government to close debate on the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment Bill (No. 3), insisting that all members wishing to contribute be given an opportunity to speak.
The prolonged sitting exposed deep divisions over the proposed constitutional changes, with heated exchanges leading to the ejection of Marondera Central MP Caston Matewu from the National Assembly.
Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi had entered the chamber appearing ready to conclude the second reading debate and move the Bill to the committee stage, noting that a record 120 legislators had already debated the proposed amendments.
However, opposition MPs objected, arguing that several members were still waiting to make submissions.
“I humbly want to know are we closing the debate, because I thought we are continuing with the debate.
“I and others are yet to debate,” Dangamvura MP Prosper Mutseyami said on a point of order.
Deputy Speaker Tsitsi Gezi initially suggested that outstanding contributions could be made during the committee stage, triggering immediate resistance from opposition benches.
Matewu led the objections, arguing that elected representatives had a constitutional duty to speak on behalf of their constituencies before debate could be closed.
“We cannot adjourn this debate until Hon. Members have represented their constituencies; it is their right to be heard,” he said.
“Marondera, Chiredzi, Hwange, Bulawayo and Harare constituencies must be heard before we close this debate. We shall not allow, Madam Speaker, to close this debate until we have been heard.”
Faced with mounting opposition, Zanu PF Chief Whip Pupurai Togarepi proposed reducing speaking time from 20 minutes to 10 minutes per member to accommodate the 54 legislators still on the speakers’ list.
Although Matewu objected, arguing that parliamentary rules entitled members to 20 minutes, Gezi ruled that the shortened time limit would apply.
When Matewu later took the floor, he declared his “absolute and unyielding opposition” to the Bill, describing the 2013 Constitution as “a sacred covenant written in the ink of national consensus.”
“This Bill is not a constitutional amendment; it is not an administrative reform, nor a technical correction.
“It is a fundamental attempt to alter the relationship between the people of Zimbabwe and the State without first consulting Zimbabweans,” he said.
Ziyambi briefly interrupted on a point of order, arguing that nothing in the Bill undermined democracy, but the Deputy Speaker allowed Matewu to proceed.
The legislator went on to criticise provisions he said would weaken citizens’ direct role in electing national leaders.
“Why should the people surrender a democratic right that we already possess?
Why should the Zimbabwean voter lose the right to directly elect a president of their choice in this republic?” he asked.
The Deputy Speaker twice advised Matewu that his allotted time had expired. After he refused to take his seat, insisting he had spoken for only a few minutes, Gezi ordered him to leave the chamber.
Kuwadzana MP Chalton Hwende challenged the ruling, arguing that the 10-minute limit had not been adopted through formal parliamentary procedures.
His intervention, however, failed to reverse the decision.
Harare Province proportional representation MP Ellen Shiriyedenga delivered one of the most detailed critiques of the Bill, questioning whether the proposed amendments would strengthen or weaken constitutional democracy.
“The million-dollar question therefore is: does the Constitution Amendment (No. 3) Bill deepen constitutional democracy or weaken it?” she said.
“In my respectful view, CAB3 should be rejected because it threatens the core values of constitutional democracy instead of protecting the people’s rights to choose their leaders and hold them accountable.”
Shiriyedenga criticised proposed changes to judicial appointments, arguing that the removal of public interviews for lower court judges would undermine transparency and public confidence in the judiciary.
“Courts are supposed to act as neutral guardians of the law.
“Any changes in their appointment procedures giving the executive more influence affects the independence of the judiciary,” she said.
Shiriyedenga also opposed proposals to remove delimitation responsibilities from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), warning that transferring the function to a new commission appointed by the President would compromise institutional independence.
“What is exciting about this debate is that even colleagues from the ruling party have complained about the conduct of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, which we as the opposition have been complaining about; in a way, we have been vindicated,” she said.
Kadoma Central MP Miriam Mambipiri accused the government of attempting to revive what she termed an imperial presidency, arguing that the amendments would reverse democratic gains achieved under the 2013 Constitution.
“The constitutional amendments were fathered by the executive and are simply being midwifed here in Mt Hampden, far away from the people, and for that they must be rejected,” she said.
Mambipiri also dismissed arguments that extending presidential terms from five to seven years was necessary to complete major development projects.
Referring to the long-delayed Harare-Bulawayo highway dualisation project, she said: “If we were to allow the president who was there then to stay in power until that project ended, it simply means we would still be having the same president 25 years later.”
On the government side, Togarepi warned that Zanu PF legislators were prepared to sit through the night if necessary to exhaust the list of speakers.
The debate, which began shortly after 2pm, continued until after midnight before Ziyambi moved for adjournment at 12:22am.
The minister said he had agreed to allow Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe and Energy Minister July Moyo to address lawmakers on technical aspects of the proposed voters’ roll and delimitation reforms before Parliament proceeds to the committee stage.
“In other words, we had over 200 Members debating.
“I will reconcile with the clerks tomorrow and when I respond, I will give an accurate figure but it is a record that I don’t believe will be broken in a very, very long time,” Ziyambi said.
Debate resumes on Wednesday, with the minister’s response, contributions from Kazembe and Moyo, an explanation from the Attorney-General on drafting instructions, and the committee stage still outstanding.
The Bill is expected to be put to a vote before the end of the week.
Political analysts expect the legislation to pass, given Zanu PF’s two-thirds majority in the National Assembly and its dominant position in the Senate.
Among its most controversial provisions are proposals to extend presidential terms from five years to seven years and to replace direct presidential elections with a system in which the President would be elected by Parliament.
The Bill has also drawn criticism from a group of retired military officers and former civil servants believed to be aligned with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, although no public dissent has emerged from Zanu PF legislators during parliamentary proceedings.
