Constitution of Zimbabwe (as amended by Constitution Amendment No. 19) (c) substitute a less severe punishment for that imposed by any sentence for such an offence; or (d) suspend for a specified period or remit the whole or part of any sentence for such an offence or any penalty of forfeiture otherwise imposed on account of such an offence. (2) Where a person resident in Zimbabwe has been convicted in another country of a criminal offence against a law in force in that country, the President may declare that that conviction shall not be regarded as a conviction for the purposes of this Constitution or any other law in force in Zimbabwe. 31J Public emergencies (1) The President may at any time, by proclamation in the Gazette, declare in relation to the whole of Zimbabwe or any part thereof that— (a) a state of public emergency exists; or (b) a situation exists which, if allowed to continue, may lead to a state of public emergency. (2) A declaration under subsection (1), if not sooner revoked, shall cease to have effect at the expiration of a period of fourteen days beginning with the day of publication of the proclamation in the Gazette unless, before the expiration of that period, the declaration is approved by resolution of the House of Assembly: Provided that, if Parliament is dissolved during the period of fourteen days, the declaration, unless sooner revoked, shall cease to have effect at the expiration of a period of thirty days beginning with the day of publication of the proclamation in the Gazette unless, before the expiration of that period, the declaration is approved by resolution of the House of Assembly. [Subsection as amended by section 26 of Act 31 of 1989 – Amendment No. 9 – and by section 23 of Act 5 of 2005 – Amendment No. 17] (3) Where a declaration under subsection (1)— (a) is not approved by resolution under subsection (2), the President shall forthwith, after the House of Assembly has considered the resolution and failed to approve it or, if the House of Assembly has not considered the resolution, on the expiration of the appropriate period specified in subsection (2), by proclamation in the Gazette, revoke the declaration; [Paragraph as amended by section 5 of Act No. 11 of 2007 – Amendment No. 18] (b) is approved by resolution under subsection (2), the declaration shall, subject to the provisions of subsection (4), continue in effect for a period of six months beginning with the day of publication of the proclamation in the Gazette: Provided that, where the House of Assembly has in the resolution under subsection (2) specified that the declaration shall continue in effect for a period of less than six months, the President shall, by proclamation in the Gazette, make provision that the declaration shall, subject to the provisions of subsection (4), be revoked on the expiration of the period so specified. [Proviso as amended by section 5 of Act No. 11 of 2007 – Amendment No. 18] - 46 -