Masvingo Province Women’s Representative Auxillia Dhanzi has endorsed the Constitutional Amendment Bill 3, 2026 arguing that the proposed reforms would improve governance, enhance institutional efficiency and support long-term national development.
Speaking during debate on the Bill in Parliament, Dhanzi praised Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi for presenting the proposed amendments describing the legislation as an important step towards strengthening the country’s governance framework.
The legislator expressed support for several key provisions contained in the Bill, including proposals relating to the election of the President, voter registration administration, the extension of the electoral cycle and the expanded jurisdiction of the Constitutional Court.
Dhanzi said the proposal to elect the President through a joint sitting of Parliament would reinforce democratic accountability by ensuring that elected representatives play a central role in the leadership selection process.
She argued that such a system would promote consensus-building, collective responsibility and stronger oversight of national leadership.
“The process remains rooted in the democratic will of the people through their elected representatives,” she told Parliament.
The Masvingo legislator also backed plans to transfer voter registration, the compilation of voters’ rolls and related functions to the Registrar General’s Office.
According to Dhanzi, consolidating these responsibilities under a single institution could improve administrative efficiency, strengthen record management systems and enhance public confidence in electoral processes.
She further voiced support for extending the electoral cycle from five years to seven years saying communities across Masvingo Province believed longer terms would provide governments with sufficient time to implement development programmes and deliver tangible results.
Dhanzi said many women in the province had expressed support for the proposal, arguing that major infrastructure projects, economic initiatives and social programmes often require more time to reach completion.
She noted that some church leaders and congregants viewed the number seven as symbolising completion, fulfilment and maturity, sentiments she said resonated strongly in Masvingo, which is home to one of the country’s largest faith communities.
According to Dhanzi, many residents believe a seven-year electoral cycle would allow government projects to be implemented without interruption and provide greater continuity in policy execution.
She said progress in key sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, education, infrastructure development and women’s empowerment required sustained commitment and adequate time to produce meaningful outcomes.
“The women of Masvingo Province believe leadership should be judged not only by the promises it makes but also by the projects it completes and the lives it transforms,” she said.
In her concluding remarks, Dhanzi invoked a quote by Chinese President Xi Jinping saying every generation faces its own “Long March” that must be completed.
She said Zimbabwe’s current generation was undertaking a journey towards Vision 2030, economic transformation and improved living standards for citizens.
For those reasons, Dhanzi said she fully supported the CAB 3 and urged Parliament to adopt the proposed changes.
The Bill continues to generate debate in Parliament and across the country with supporters arguing that it will improve governance structures while critics have raised concerns about some of its provisions and their potential impact on constitutional democracy.
