ZANU PF Secretary for Legal Affairs, Ziyambi Ziyambi, says the process to amend Zimbabwe’s Constitution to allow President Emmerson Mnangagwa to remain in office until 2030 is almost complete.
The proposed changes follow the ruling party’s Resolution Number One, passed by the party in 2024.
The principles of the amendment are expected to be presented to Cabinet when it resumes sittings in February, after President Mnangagwa returns from his annual leave.
Once the Cabinet has considered the proposals, an amendment Bill will be introduced in Parliament. If Parliament approves the Bill, it will then be sent to the President to be signed into law.
Ziyambi, who is also the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, said the Constitution allows for amendments and that no law is permanent, except biblical scripture.
He made the remarks while addressing ZANU PF’s first Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting of the year for Mashonaland West, held in Chinhoyi on Saturday. He said:
“Only the Bible is immune to amendment. The Constitution of Zimbabwe allows for changes and amendments, and that is exactly what we are following…
“Some will want to defend the Constitution as if it were the Bible’s Ten Commandments. Only the Ten Commandments are immune to amendment.”
Ziyambi said the resolution was made by the party, and President Mnangagwa was not involved.
He added that once all legal procedures are followed, President Mnangagwa would be constitutionally required to sign the amendment into law.
Meanwhile, ZANU PF held primary elections on Monday to choose its candidate for the Chegutu Ward 1 seat ahead of the 21 February by-election.
Gift Konjana emerged as the winner of the primary election. He previously won the Chegutu West parliamentary seat in the 2018 general elections.
However, although Konjana won the 2018 election on an MDC Alliance ticket, he never took up the seat after the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) declared ZANU-PF candidate Dexter Nduna the winner, despite finishing second.
Konjana later defected to ZANU PF in 2023.
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