Ziyambi says Amendment No. 3 could open ballot to Zimbabweans abroad

Zimbabweans living abroad will be able to vote in national elections once the recently gazetted Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill of 2026 is passed and corresponding changes are made to the Electoral Act, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has said.

Speaking at an interactive meeting with journalists in Harare last week, Minister Ziyambi said proposed amendments to Section 92 of the Constitution would naturally trigger changes to the Electoral Act.

The Bill proposes replacing the current direct presidential vote with a parliamentary process for electing the President. At present, the President is elected through a direct vote under the first-past-the-post system.

"Parliamentary selection of the President will insulate the office of the President from divisive rancour, galvanise national cohesion and revitalise Zimbabwe's democratic ethos, elevating our nation as Africa's paragon of serene power transitions," he said.

He added that consequential amendments to the Electoral Act would enable diaspora voting, as voters would focus on electing Members of Parliament and councillors in their constituencies and wards.

In a separate interview, Minister Ziyambi indicated that the issue of diaspora voting would be addressed after the Bill is passed.

Currently, the Constitution allows Zimbabweans living abroad to vote only if they return home to cast their ballots in their respective constituencies. Sections 72(a) and (b) of the Electoral Act provide postal voting rights mainly to those absent from their constituencies or the country on Government duty.

The proposed reforms also seek to transfer custody and maintenance of the voters' roll from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to the Registrar-General's Office. Minister Ziyambi argued that this would improve efficiency, as the Registrar-General is the custodian of vital registration information.

In addition, the Bill proposes establishing a Zimbabwe Electoral Delimitation Commission, which would assume the responsibility of delimiting electoral boundaries — a function currently handled by ZEC. The minister said this reform would address concerns about institutional overlap and potential conflicts of interest arising from ZEC's dual role.

The Government recently gazetted the Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill of 2026, initiating a 90-day public consultation period before Parliament debates and considers its passage.

Beyond diaspora voting and electoral restructuring, the Bill proposes extending the presidential term from five to seven years and introduces broader institutional reforms aimed at strengthening governance, clarifying roles and promoting political stability.

According to the Government Gazette, the amendments form part of Zimbabwe's ongoing legal evolution, intended to refine and modernise constitutional provisions in line with governance experience and comparative constitutional practice across Africa.