Zimbabwe has begun drafting electoral laws to implement constitutional changes that give Parliament the power to elect the president. Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi says officials expect to submit the legislative principles to Cabinet within two weeks.
Speaking to The Sunday Mail, Ziyambi identified three priorities: amendments to the Electoral Act, a General Laws Amendment Bill and a Delimitation Bill. Cabinet must still consider the principles, and Parliament has yet to pass the proposed legislation.
The overhaul follows President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s signing of Constitutional Amendment No. 3 into law on 7 July. That legislation extended presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years, moving the next elections from 2028 to 2030.
It also replaced direct presidential elections with a parliamentary vote. Together, these changes reshape how Zimbabweans influence the presidency and how long elected leaders remain in office.
Under the new framework, members of the Senate and National Assembly will sit jointly to elect the president. Parliamentary representation will therefore determine both the composition of the legislature and the choice of national leader.
Electoral administration is another central part of the overhaul. Responsibility for registering voters and maintaining the voters’ roll is moving from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to the Registrar-General’s Office. A separate Delimitation Commission will take responsibility for constituency and ward boundaries.
Ziyambi said the institutions had begun transferring registration equipment, records and personnel. The proposed legislation will provide further rules for operating the revised system, including the boundary commission.
These changes carry practical consequences for political parties and voters. Registration determines who can vote, while constituency boundaries shape parliamentary representation. Under the parliamentary presidential election system, those processes also influence the eventual choice of president.
However, the constitutional amendment faces legal challenges over its passage and its effect on political rights. Opponents argue that Parliament could not lawfully introduce some of the changes without a national referendum.
Legal watchdog Veritas has challenged the extension of terms for serving officeholders. It argues that constitutional safeguards prevent incumbents from benefiting from amendments that lengthen their tenure. That remains a legal position advanced by the organisation, rather than a court ruling invalidating the Act.
A separate case brought by Eliphas Kawa and Hazvineyi Machingura questions the removal of direct presidential elections. The applicants argue that the change affects protected political rights and required approval through a referendum.
According to Open Parly, the Constitutional Court reserved judgment on their application for direct access. That preliminary decision concerns whether they may bring the case directly before the court, rather than the merits of their constitutional challenge. The State opposes the application.
Zimbabwe’s government is therefore advancing implementation while opponents pursue judicial scrutiny. The next legislative milestone will be Cabinet’s consideration of the proposed principles, followed by publication and parliamentary examination of the Bills.
The detail will matter alongside the constitutional changes themselves. Rules governing voter registration, constituency boundaries and Parliament’s presidential ballot will determine how the new framework operates in practice.
