WATCH LIVE as Gambakwe reveals that Auxillia Mnangagwa will be appointed as one of the new Zimbabwe senators by Mnangagwa as soon as he signs into law the new CAB3.

Legislative Process & Status

• The Bill was formally gazetted on 16 February 2026.

• Public Consultation: Following the gazetting, a constitutionally required 90-day public consultation period took place from March to mid-May 2026.

• National Assembly Approval: The Bill was passed by the National Assembly on 18 June 2026, with 216 votes in favor and 42 against.

• Senate Approval: The Senate passed the Bill with amendments—including the retention of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission—on 24 June 2026, with 75 votes in favor and 4 against.

• Finalization: The National Assembly considered and finalized these Senate amendments on 30 June 2026.

• Current Status: The Bill has passed both Houses of Parliament and is currently pending presidential assent.

Key Provisions

• Presidential Selection: The Bill replaces direct popular elections for the President with a selection process via a joint sitting of the Senate and the National Assembly. Candidates must secure an absolute majority, with a run-off required if no candidate succeeds in the first ballot.

• Term Extensions: Presidential, parliamentary, and local authority terms are extended from five to seven years. Transitional provisions aim to apply this extension to the current term, effectively extending the tenure of the incumbent President and sitting parliamentarians until 2030.

• Senate Expansion: The number of Senators increases from 80 to 90, with 10 members to be appointed by the President based on professional skills and competencies.

• Electoral Reform: The Bill transfers voter registration and maintenance of the voters’ roll from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to the Registrar-General. It also establishes a new Delimitation Commission to handle the redrawing of electoral boundaries.

• Judicial and Executive Changes: The Bill alters the regime for appointing judges, removes the requirement for the Prosecutor-General to be appointed on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission, and modifies the jurisdiction of the Constitutional Court.

Legal and Constitutional Context

• Referendum Debate: There is ongoing legal and political debate regarding whether the amendments—particularly those concerning term limits—require approval via a national referendum under the existing Constitution.

• Legal Challenges: Several legal challenges regarding the bill have been filed in the Constitutional Court.