Parliament approves Constitution Amendment Bill No. 3 amid fierce debate
The Mt Kenya Times 
By Norman Mwale
Zimbabwe passes Constitution Amendment Bill No. 3 as ZANU PF deploys its majority to reshape the judiciary and scrap the presidential running mate clause
Zimbabwe’s Parliament has approved Constitution Amendment Bill No. 3, widely referred to as “Cab Bill 3”, after two days of heated debate that exposed deep divisions between the ruling ZANU PF and the opposition. In the final vote on Wednesday evening, ZANU PF garnered 216 votes in support of the Bill, while opposition MPs mustered 42 votes against, comfortably giving precedence to the legislation which now awaits presidential assent to become law.
Cab Bill 3 introduces several contentious changes to the 2013 Constitution, the most significant being the removal of the presidential running mate clause, the extension of the term of office for judges of the superior courts, and the restoration of presidential power to appoint the Chief Justice, Deputy Chief Justice and Judge President of the High Court without public interviews. The outcome means the President will now directly appoint the heads of the judiciary, subject only to confirmation by the Senate.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi defended the Bill as necessary for alignment and stability, arguing that it corrected anomalies in existence since 2013 and would ensure that government functioned without procedural gridlock. ZANU PF Chief Whip Pupurai Togarepi said the outcome reflected the will of the people expressed through Parliament, insisting the two-thirds majority delivered by 216 MPs gave the legislation constitutional legitimacy and institutional clarity.
The opposition was unmoved despite being outnumbered. Citizens Coalition for Change spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere described the vote as a dark day for constitutionalism, warning that removing public interviews and concentrating appointment powers in the executive rolled back the gains of 2013 and made judicial independence impossible. CCC MP and constitutional lawyer Obert Gutu argued that the removal of the running mate clause would undermine succession planning, warning that a return to presidential appointment of the Vice-President at will represented personal rule rather than constitutionalism.
Civic groups also condemned the outcome, warning that the changes threatened judicial independence. Observers noted that the public interview process had been introduced after years of calls for transparency, and its removal could send the wrong signal at a time when public trust in institutions is fragile. The Zimbabwe Council of Churches urged restraint and national dialogue, calling on the President to reflect deeply before assent and warning against constitutional amendments being rushed or weaponised.
With assent expected within days, the practical effect of Cab Bill 3 will be immediate. The President gains full discretion over the top three judicial appointments, and the position of presidential running mate is scrapped for future elections. Analysts say the amendments will reshape power dynamics ahead of the next general election and could influence perceptions of Zimbabwe’s democratic trajectory abroad.
As Parliament rose after the vote, the chamber remained split along party lines. For ZANU PF, Cab Bill 3 is constitutional repair backed by 216 votes. For the opposition and civil society, it is constitutional retreat rejected by 42 MPs. For Zimbabweans watching at home, the Bill’s true test will not be in the vote count, but in how these new powers are used and whether the institutions they affect remain trusted by the people.
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