President Mnangagwa Summons Extraordinary Parliament Sitting as Constitution Amendment Bill No. 3 Nears Final Approval

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has summoned the National Assembly to an extraordinary sitting next week to consider amendments made by the Senate to the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Bill, bringing the controversial legislation a step closer to becoming law.

According to General Notice No. 1003 of 2026 issued on Friday by Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda, Members of Parliament have been directed to attend a special sitting at 2:15 pm on Tuesday, 30 June 2026. The extraordinary session has been convened in terms of Section 110(2)(c) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

The purpose of the sitting is to consider the Senate's amendments to the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Bill (H.B. 1B of 2026), which was approved by the upper House earlier this week. The special sitting comes after the National Assembly had adjourned until 7 July 2026 following the passage of the Bill through the lower House last Thursday. During that sitting, the Clerk of Parliament read the Bill for its Third Reading after it secured the constitutionally required two-thirds majority in the National Assembly.

Under Zimbabwe's constitutional amendment process, any proposed amendment must receive a two-thirds majority in both the National Assembly and the Senate before it can be presented to the President for assent. Although the Senate has since passed the Bill, it adopted six amendments, meaning the revised version must now return to the National Assembly for consideration before it can proceed further.

Tuesday's sitting is therefore expected to be decisive in determining the legislation's immediate future. If Members of Parliament approve the Senate's amendments without making further changes, the Bill will be transmitted to President Mnangagwa for presidential assent, after which it will become law.

However, should the National Assembly propose additional amendments, the legislation will be referred back to the Senate for further consideration, potentially extending the parliamentary process. Constitution Amendment Bill No. 3 has generated significant public debate since its introduction, with supporters arguing that it seeks to improve governance structures, while critics have questioned some of its provisions and the broader implications for Zimbabwe's constitutional framework.

The extraordinary sitting is expected to attract close attention from political parties, civil society organisations, legal experts, and the public, given the Bill's far-reaching constitutional implications. The outcome of Tuesday's proceedings will determine whether the legislation proceeds directly to the President's desk or returns to Parliament for further deliberations.

Constitution Amendment Bill No. 3