𝗠𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝘄𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹

FILE – Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, center, stands next to his chief election agent and Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, left, outside the nomination court in Harare, Zimbabwe, June 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi, File)

The delegation, led by retired Air Marshal Henry Muchena, has been vocal in its opposition to the proposed constitutional changes, which are currently under parliamentary consideration.

According to Machacha, the President was accompanied during the engagement by Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Ziyambi Ziyambi, Attorney-General Virginia Mabhiza, and Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Martin Rushwaya, who were invited to provide legal and constitutional clarification on the issues raised.

In a 13-page letter responding to concerns raised by the retired officers, Machacha defended the proposed amendments, arguing that they are constitutional, democratic, and consistent with Zimbabwe’s governance framework and traditions.
He said the debate surrounding the Bill should focus on three key issues: whether the amendment process complies with the Constitution, whether Parliament is acting within its lawful mandate, and whether citizens have been adequately consulted.

The Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 has sparked intense political debate, with supporters arguing that it falls within parliamentary authority and does not require a national referendum.

However, critics maintain that any changes affecting presidential term limits, or those that could benefit a sitting office bearer, must be subjected to a referendum in line with constitutional requirements.

The Bill remains under consideration in Parliament, with both political and civil society actors continuing to express divergent views on its legality and broader implications for Zimbabwe’s constitutional order. -Source: B24