Constitution of the Republic of Zimbabwe 2013, as amended to 2023
Political Rights and Association
  • English

    (2) The principles of good governance, which bind the State and all institutions and agencies of government at every level, include—
    (a) a multi-party democratic political system;
    (b) an electoral system based on—
    (i) universal adult suffrage and equality of votes;
    (ii) free, fair and regular elections; and
    (iii) adequate representation of the electorate;

    (d) respect for the rights of all political parties;
    … (Sec. 3)
Political Rights and Association
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    (1) The State must promote full gender balance in Zimbabwean society, and in particular—
    ...
    (b) the State must take all measures, including legislative measures, needed to ensure that—
    (i) both genders are equally represented in all institutions and agencies of government at every level;
    (ii) women constitute at least half the membership of all Commissions and other elective and appointed governmental bodies established by or under this Constitution or any Act of Parliament;
    … (Sec. 17)
Political Rights and Association
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    (2) Women and men have the right to equal treatment, including the right to equal opportunities in political, economic, cultural and social spheres.
    … (Sec. 56)
Political Rights and Association
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    (1) Every person has the right to freedom of assembly and association, and the right not to assemble or associate with others.
    (2) No person may be compelled to belong to an association or to attend a meeting or gathering. (Sec. 58)
Political Rights and Association
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    (1) Every Zimbabwean citizen has the right—
    (a) to free, fair and regular elections for any elective public office established in terms of this Constitution or any other law; and
    (b) to make political choices freely.
    (2) Subject to this Constitution, every Zimbabwean citizen has the right—
    (a) to form, to join and to participate in the activities of a political party or organisation of their choice;
    (b) to campaign freely and peacefully for a political party or cause;
    (c) to participate in peaceful political activity; and
    (d) to participate, individually or collectively, in gatherings or groups or in any other manner, in peaceful activities to influence, challenge or support the policies of the Government or any political or whatever cause.
    (3) Subject to this Constitution, every Zimbabwean citizen who is of or over eighteen years of age has the right—
    (a) to vote in all elections and referendums to which this Constitution or any other law applies, and to do so in secret; and
    (b) to stand for election for public office and, if elected, to hold such office.
    (4) For the purpose of promoting multi-party democracy, an Act of Parliament must provide for the funding of political parties. (Sec. 67)
Political Rights and Association
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    (1) Every woman has full and equal dignity of the person with men and this includes equal opportunities in political, economic and social activities.
    … (Sec. 80)
Political Rights and Association
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    (1) The proceedings of the Senate and the National Assembly are regulated by rules known as Standing Orders, which are made by the Houses individually or jointly on the recommendation of the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders.

    (4) Any committee established by or under Standing Orders must reflect, as closely as possible, the political and gender composition of Parliament or of the House to which the Standing Orders apply. (Sec. 139)
Political Rights and Association
  • English

    (3) Members must be appointed or elected to the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders as soon as possible after the beginning of the first session of each Parliament, and they must be selected so that the committee reflects as nearly as possible the political and gender composition of the combined Houses of Parliament.
    … (Sec. 151)
Political Rights and Association
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    (1) Subject to subparagraph (2) and to paragraph 2, a person is qualified to be registered as a voter on the voters roll of a constituency if he or she—
    (a) is of or over the age of eighteen years; and
    (b) is a Zimbabwean citizen.
    (2) The Electoral Law may prescribe additional residential requirements to ensure that voters are registered on the most appropriate voters roll, but any such requirements must be consistent with this Constitution, in particular with section 67. (Fourth Schedule, Qualifications of Voters, Sec. 1)
National level
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    (1) The State must promote full gender balance in Zimbabwean society, and in particular—

    (b) the State must take all measures, including legislative measures, needed to ensure that—
    (i) both genders are equally represented in all institutions and agencies of government at every level; and
    (ii) women constitute at least half the membership of all Commissions and other elective and appointed governmental bodies established by or under this Constitution or any Act of Parliament;
    … (Sec. 17)
National level
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    (1) The Senate consists of eighty Senators, of whom—
    (a) six are elected from each of the provinces into which Zimbabwe is divided, by a system of proportional representation conforming with subsection (2);
    (b) sixteen are Chiefs, of whom two are elected by the provincial assembly of Chiefs from each of the provinces, other than the metropolitan provinces, into which Zimbabwe is divided;
    (c) the President and Deputy President of the National Council of Chiefs; and
    (d) two are elected in the manner prescribed in the Electoral Law to represent persons with disabilities.
    (2) Elections of Senators must be conducted in accordance with the Electoral Law, which must ensure that the Senators referred to in subsection (1)(a) are elected under a party-list system of proportional representation—
    (a) which is based on the votes cast for candidates representing political parties in each of the provinces in the general election for Members of the National Assembly; and
    (b) in which male and female candidates are listed alternately, every list being headed by a female candidate. (Sec. 120)
National level
  • English

    (1) The National Assembly consists of—
    (a) two hundred and ten members elected by secret ballot from the two hundred and ten constituencies into which Zimbabwe is divided; and
    (b) for the life of the first four Parliaments after the effective date, an additional sixty women members, six from each of the provinces into which Zimbabwe is divided, elected through a system of proportional representation based on the votes cast for candidates representing political parties in a general election for constituency members in the provinces.
    (c) a further additional ten youth members, that is, persons aged from twenty-one to thirtyfive years of age, one from each of the provinces into which Zimbabwe is divided, elected under a party-list system of proportional representation—
    (i) which is based on the votes cast for candidates representing political parties in a general election for constituency members in the provinces; and
    (ii) in which male and female candidates are listed alternately:
    Provided that political parties must ensure that—
    (a) ten of the sixty women members are under the age of thirty-five;
    (b) women with disabilities are represented on their party lists; and
    (c) young women with disabilities are represented on their party lists in terms of an Act of Parliament.
    … (Sec. 124)

National level
  • English

    (1) An Act of Parliament must provide for the conduct of elections and referendums to which this Constitution applies, and in particular for the following matters—

    (d) a system of proportional representation for the election of persons to the seats in the Senate referred to in section 120(1)(a) and the seats reserved for women in the National Assembly referred to in section 124(1)(b), and the procedure for filling vacancies in those seats, which vacancies must be filled by persons—
    (i) belonging to the same political parties as those who previously held the seats; and
    (ii) of the same gender as the persons who previously held the seats;

    (2) The system of proportional representation provided for in terms of subsection (1)(d) must ensure equal representation of women among the Senators referred to in section 120(1)(a).
    … (Sec. 157)

Subnational levels
  • English
    (1) The State must promote full gender balance in Zimbabwean society, and in particular—

    (b) the State must take all measures, including legislative measures, needed to ensure that—
    (i) both genders are equally represented in all institutions and agencies of government at every level; and
    (ii) women constitute at least half the membership of all Commissions and other elective and appointed governmental bodies established by or under this Constitution or any Act of Parliament;
    … (Sec. 17)
Subnational levels
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    (1) There is a provincial council for each province and a metropolitan council for each metropolitan province, consisting of—
    (a) a chairperson of the council, elected in terms of section 272; and
    (b) the mayors and chairpersons, by whatever title they are called, of all urban and rural local authorities in the province concerned; and
    (c) ten persons elected by a system of proportional representation referred to in subsection (3).
    (2) A person is qualified to be elected to a provincial or metropolitan council in terms of subsection (1)(c) if she is qualified for election as a Member of the National Assembly.
    (3) Elections to provincial and metropolitan councils must be conducted in accordance with the Electoral Law, which must ensure that the persons referred to in subsection (1)(c) are elected under a party-list system of proportional representation—
    (a) which is based on the votes cast for candidates representing political parties in the province concerned in the general election for Members of the National Assembly; and
    (b) in which male and female candidates are listed alternately, every list being headed by a female candidate.
    ... (Sec. 268)

Subnational levels
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    (2) The Electoral Law must make provision, consistent with this Chapter11, for the filling of vacancies in the seats of the members of provincial councils referred to in section 268(1)(f) and in the offices of chairpersons of provincial councils, which vacancies must be filled—
    (a) by persons belonging to the same political parties as those who previously held the seats or offices; and
    (b) except in the case of chairpersons, by a person of the same gender as the persons who previously held the seats. (Sec. 273)
Political Parties
  • English

    (2) The principles of good governance, which bind the State and all institutions and agencies of government at every level, include—
    (a) a multi-party democratic political system;

    (d) respect for the rights of all political parties;
    … (Sec. 3)
Political Parties
  • English

    (2) Subject to this Constitution, every Zimbabwean citizen has the right—
    (a) to form, to join and to participate in the activities of a political party or organisation of their choice;
    (b) to campaign freely and peacefully for a political party or cause;

    (4) For the purpose of promoting multi-party democracy, an Act of Parliament must provide for the funding of political parties. (Sec. 67)
Electoral Bodies
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    The following are the independent Commissions—
    (a) the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission;
    … (Sec. 232)
Electoral Bodies
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    The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has the following functions—
    (a) to prepare for, conduct and supervise—
    (i) elections to the office of President and to Parliament;
    (ii) elections to provincial and metropolitan councils and the governing bodies of local authorities;
    (iii) elections of members of the National Council of Chiefs established by section 285; and
    (iv) referendums;
    and to ensure that those elections and referendums are conducted efficiently, freely, fairly, transparently and in accordance with the law;
    (b) to supervise elections of the President of the Senate and the Speaker and to ensure that those elections are conducted efficiently and in accordance with the law;
    (c) to register voters;
    (d) to compile voters’ rolls and registers;
    (e) to ensure the proper custody and maintenance of voters’ rolls and registers;
    (f) to delimit constituencies, wards and other electoral boundaries;
    (g) to design, print and distribute ballot papers, approve the form of and procure ballot boxes, and establish and operate polling centres;
    (h) to conduct and supervise voter education;
    (i) to accredit observers of elections and referendums;
    (j) to give instructions to persons in the employment of the State or of a local authority for the purpose of ensuring the efficient, free, fair, proper and transparent conduct of any election or referendum; and
    (k) to receive and consider complaints from the public and to take such action in regard to the complaints as it considers appropriate. (Sec. 239)
Head of State
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    The President is the Head of State and Government and the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces. (Sec. 89)
Head of State
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    (1) The President must uphold, defend, obey and respect this Constitution as the supreme law of the nation and must ensure that this Constitution and all the other laws are faithfully observed.
    … (Sec. 90)

Head of State
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    (1) A person qualifies for election as President or appointment as Vice-President if he or she—
    (a) is a Zimbabwean citizen by birth or descent;
    (b) has attained the age of forty years;
    (c) is ordinarily resident in Zimbabwe; and
    (d) is registered as a voter.
    … (Sec. 91)

Vice-President
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    (1) A person qualifies for election as President or appointment as Vice-President if he or she—
    (a) is a Zimbabwean citizen by birth or descent;
    (b) has attained the age of forty years;
    (c) is ordinarily resident in Zimbabwe; and
    (d) is registered as a voter.
    … (Sec. 91)

Vice-President
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    (2a) As soon as the President assumes office, he or she shall appoint not more than two persons to be Vice-Presidents, who shall be persons qualified for election as President in terms of section 91(1), and who shall take, before the Chief Justice or the next most senior judge available, the oath of a Vice-President in the form set out in the Third Schedule.
    ... (Sec. 94)

Government
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    (2) The executive authority of Zimbabwe vests in the President who exercises it, subject to this Constitution, through the Cabinet. (Sec. 88)
Government
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    (1) The President appoints Ministers and assigns functions to them, including the administration of any Act of Parliament or of any Ministry or department, but the President may reserve to himself or herself the administration of an Act, Ministry or department.
    (2) The President may appoint Deputy Ministers to assist any Minister in the exercise of his or her functions.
    (3) Ministers and Deputy Ministers are appointed from among Senators or Members of the National Assembly, but up to seven, chosen for their professional skills and competence, may be appointed from outside Parliament.
    (4) In appointing Ministers and Deputy Ministers, the President must be guided by considerations of regional and gender balance.
    … (Sec. 104)

Legislature
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    Parliament consists of the Senate and the National Assembly. (Sec. 118)
Legislature
  • English
    (1) The Senate consists of eighty Senators, of whom—
    (a) six are elected from each of the provinces into which Zimbabwe is divided, by a system of proportional representation conforming with subsection (2);
    (b) sixteen are Chiefs, of whom two are elected by the provincial assembly of Chiefs from each of the provinces, other than the metropolitan provinces, into which Zimbabwe is divided;
    (c) the President and Deputy President of the National Council of Chiefs; and
    (d) two are elected in the manner prescribed in the Electoral Law to represent persons with disabilities.
    (2) Elections of Senators must be conducted in accordance with the Electoral Law, which must ensure that the Senators referred to in subsection (1)(a) are elected under a party-list system of proportional representation—
    (a) which is based on the votes cast for candidates representing political parties in each of the provinces in the general election for Members of the National Assembly; and
    (b) in which male and female candidates are listed alternately, every list being headed by a female candidate. (Sec. 120)
Legislature
  • English
    (1) A person is qualified for election as a Senator referred to in section 120(1)(a) or (d) if he or she—
    (a) is registered as a voter; and
    (b) is at least forty years of age;
    unless he or she is disqualified under subsection (4) or (5).
    (2) A person is qualified for election as a Senator Chief referred to in section 120(1)(b) if he or she—
    (a) holds the office of Chief; and
    (b) is registered as a voter;
    unless he or she is disqualified under subsection (4) or (5).
    … (Sec. 121)
Legislature
  • English

    (1) The National Assembly consists of—
    (a) two hundred and ten members elected by secret ballot from the two hundred and ten constituencies into which Zimbabwe is divided; and
    (b) for the life of the first four Parliaments after the effective date, an additional sixty women members, six from each of the provinces into which Zimbabwe is divided, elected through a system of proportional representation based on the votes cast for candidates representing political parties in a general election for constituency members in the provinces.
    (c) a further additional ten youth members, that is, persons aged from twenty-one to thirtyfive years of age, one from each of the provinces into which Zimbabwe is divided, elected under a party-list system of proportional representation—
    (i) which is based on the votes cast for candidates representing political parties in a general election for constituency members in the provinces; and
    (ii) in which male and female candidates are listed alternately:
    Provided that political parties must ensure that—
    (a) ten of the sixty women members are under the age of thirty-five;
    (b) women with disabilities are represented on their party lists; and
    (c) young women with disabilities are represented on their party lists in terms of an Act of Parliament.
    … (Sec. 124)

Legislature
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    (1) A person is qualified for election as a Member of the National Assembly if he or she—
    (a) is registered as a voter; and
    (b) is at least twenty-one years of age;
    unless he or she is disqualified under subsection (2) or (3).
    … (Sec. 125)
Legislature
  • English
    (1) The proceedings of the Senate and the National Assembly are regulated by rules known as Standing Orders, which are made by the Houses individually or jointly on the recommendation of the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders.

    (4) Any committee established by or under Standing Orders must reflect, as closely as possible, the political and gender composition of Parliament or of the House to which the Standing Orders apply. (Sec. 139)
Legislature
  • English

    (3) Members must be appointed or elected to the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders as soon as possible after the beginning of the first session of each Parliament, and they must be selected so that the committee reflects as nearly as possible the political and gender composition of the combined Houses of Parliament.
    … (Sec. 151)
Legislature
  • English
    (1) An Act of Parliament must provide for the conduct of elections and referendums to which this Constitution applies, and in particular for the following matters—

    (d) a system of proportional representation for the election of persons to the seats in the Senate referred to in section 120(1)(a) and the seats reserved for women in the National Assembly referred to in section 124(1)(b), and the procedure for filling vacancies in those seats, which vacancies must be filled by persons—
    (i) belonging to the same political parties as those who previously held the seats; and
    (ii) of the same gender as the persons who previously held the seats;

    (2) The system of proportional representation provided for in terms of subsection (1)(d) must ensure equal representation of women among the Senators referred to in section 120(1)(a).
    … (Sec. 157)
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Constitution of the Republic of Zimbabwe 2013, as amended to 2023 (English). According to Sec. 6(1): “The following languages, namely Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Koisan, Nambya, Ndau, Ndebele, Shangani, Shona, sign language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda and Xhosa, are the officially recognised languages of Zimbabwe.”

Links to all sites last visited 11 April 2024
2
Chapter 3 on Citizenship.
3
Fifth Schedule on Procedure as to Bills and Other Matters in Parliament (Sections 130 and 131).
4
Chapter 4 on Declaration of Rights.
5
Chapter 4 on Declaration of Rights.
6
Chapter 4 on Declaration of Rights.
7
Chapter 4 on Declaration of Rights.
8
Chapter 4 on Declaration of Rights.
9
Chapter 4 on Declaration of Rights.
10
Second Schedule on Limitations on Rights during Public Emergencies (Section 87).
11
Chapter 14 on Provincial and Local Government.
12
Chapter 4 on Declaration of Rights.
13
Chapter 4 on Declaration of Rights.