Resources

Primary documents, independent briefings, research links and a glossary of key terms — read the actual text of the Constitution and CAB3 alongside any commentary.

The Constitution and the Bill

Independent Explainers

Wider Reading

Key Terms

CAB3

Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3, the proposed amendment to Zimbabwe’s 2013 Constitution currently under public and parliamentary debate.

Section 328

The provision of the Constitution setting out the procedures by which constitutional amendments may be made, including special protections for entrenched provisions.

Entrenchment

A constitutional rule that requires a higher threshold, such as a referendum or supermajority, to change a particular provision, protecting it against ordinary amendment.

Direct Presidential Election

A system in which the President is elected directly by voters in a national ballot, rather than chosen by Parliament or another body.

Term Limit

A constitutional cap on the number of consecutive terms an official may serve in a given office, intended as a safeguard against the entrenchment of personal power.

Incumbent Benefit

A change to the rules of office, such as longer terms or eligibility extensions, that directly benefits the person currently holding the position.

Public Consultation

The process by which legislators gather citizen views before passing legislation. For constitutional amendments, meaningful consultation is widely regarded as essential to legitimacy.

Constitutional Process

The set of rules and procedures by which the Constitution is amended, interpreted and enforced, distinct from the substantive content of any single amendment.

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