Zanu-PF is making a constitutional blunder, says Mwonzora

Zimbabwe faces potential constitutional and diplomatic turmoil if the proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill Number 3 is passed into law, critics warn.

Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Douglas Mwonzora has strongly condemned the proposed changes, describing them as anti-democratic and a threat to the country's governance framework.

"The intended meaning of that system is that you have a strong Parliament in the sense that it has been indirectly elected and a very weak Executive. What they have now done is take the powers designed for a person with direct mandate—the powers we gave the president in the constitution reserved for the person directly elected by the people," Mwonzora said.

Mwonzora was part of the delegation that drafted the 2013 constitution during the Government of National Unity (GNU) and emphasised the risks of bypassing democratic safeguards.

"If you have the power to put, you have the power to remove. So, the vote of no confidence can be passed by Parliament, and the president can be gone in no time. What is important is that this bill ought to go for referendum," he said.

The bill, which was tabled before Cabinet chaired by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, proposes extending both presidential and parliamentary terms from five years to seven years. Analysts warn that this would effectively suspend the 2028 elections, when President Mnangagwa's current term is scheduled to end under the 2013 Constitution.

In addition, the bill proposes granting traditional leaders unrestricted access to the political arena, reversing constitutional prohibitions that have historically kept them out of party politics.

Opposition leaders and civil society actors argue that the bill could undermine democratic institutions, destabilise governance, and draw international scrutiny, potentially affecting Zimbabwe's diplomatic relations and regional standing.

As debates continue, calls for a national referendum on the amendment are gaining traction, with critics urging the government to consult the public before implementing changes that could reshape the political landscape.