Cabinet Approves Bill to Extend Presidential, Parliamentary Terms

By SFM News

11 February 2026

Zimbabwe’s electoral cycle could change significantly after Cabinet approved a Constitutional Amendment Bill proposing to extend the terms of the President and Parliament from five to seven years and shift the presidential election to Parliament, a move Government says is designed to promote stability.

Addressing a post-Cabinet media briefing on Tuesday, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Jenfan Muswere, said Cabinet had received and approved a memorandum on the Constitution of Zimbabwe (Amendment) Bill, 2026, presented by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi.

Dr Muswere said the proposed amendments seek to “modernise and streamline various aspects of the constitutional architecture,” focusing on institutional efficiency, political inclusivity and long-term national stability.

According to Dr Muswere, Clause 2 of the Bill proposes repealing Section 92 of the Constitution and replacing the current direct presidential election system with a parliamentary process.

“Clause 2 repeals Section 92 of the Constitution and substitutes it with a parliamentary process for electing the President,” Dr Muswere said.

Under the proposed framework, a presidential candidate would be required to secure a majority vote in Parliament. If no candidate achieves an absolute majority, provisions for a run-off would apply.

The process is overseen by the Chief Justice or a designated judge to ensure it is conducted properly,” he said, adding that the procedure would be carried out in line with the Standing Rules and Orders of Parliament.

The Bill also proposes amending Sections 95, 143 and 158 of the Constitution to extend the term of office for both the President and Parliament from five to seven years.

“The objective of this reform is to reduce election-related disruptions, enhance policy continuity, allow sufficient time for the implementation of long-term national projects, and promote political and economic stability,” Dr Muswere said.

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi outlined the constitutional procedures that will follow Cabinet approval.

“What will happen is the Bill was presented today and we will then allow the Attorney-General to do some legal scrubbing and then the Speaker. The Constitution says all our Bills basically, we send them to the Speaker who then takes it for gazetting,” he said.

He explained that unlike ordinary Bills, which require 21 days after gazetting before the first reading in Parliament, a Constitutional Bill must be gazetted for 90 days before being introduced in Parliament.

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“For the Constitutional Bill, the Constitution says once you gazette it you wait for 90 days before you introduce it in Parliament. Once it is in the public domain, that period we will use to have debates. Parliament will call for public consultations and once all that is done the relevant Parliamentary committees will compile their reports. And then we introduce the Bill to Parliament,” Hon. Ziyambi said.