Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa has signed into law the Constitutional Amendment Bill
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has signed into law sweeping constitutional amendments that abolish the direct election of the President, extend the terms of the presidency, Parliament and local authorities from five to seven years, and significantly reshape the country’s electoral and governance framework.
The Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Act, 2026, gazetted as Act No. 6 of 2026 and widely known during its passage through Parliament as Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3), was published in a special Government Gazette on Tuesday after Mnangagwa assented to it on July 7.
The legislation was first gazetted in February 2026 and then spent five months moving through both Houses of Parliament.
Among the Act’s most significant provisions is the repeal and replacement of Section 92 of the Constitution, ending the direct election of Zimbabwe’s President by popular vote, a system in place since 1987.
