Zimbabwe Parliament Suspends Normal Business to Debate Constitutional Amendment Bill

The speaker of parliament rejected opposition objections to a motion that suspended normal parliamentary business to prioritize debate on Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3. The bill, read for a second time, would extend the terms of the president, parliament, and local councils to seven years and suspend elections scheduled for 2028.

An opposition member of parliament said the bill required sober consideration and should not be fast-tracked. The member argued that suspending normal business to advance the measure was improper. The speaker responded that precedents exist for such suspensions, citing budget debates, and stated that security matters would be handled by the presiding officer.

Opposition members also sought to halt proceedings on the grounds that the bill is before the Constitutional Court, where judgment on related applications remains reserved. The ruling party maintains that the proposed changes would provide time to continue the country's development trajectory.