Clerics condemn ED2030 move

The Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations (ZHOCD) has strongly condemned the proposed Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Bill, warning that it raises serious moral and constitutional concerns.

The Bill seeks to extend presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years and proposes the abolition of direct popular elections - changes critics say would significantly reshape the country's political framework.

In a statement, ZHOCD urged President Emmerson Mnangagwa to resist any attempts to amend the Constitution for what it described as "selfish ends".

"The proposed constitutional amendments raise serious moral and constitutional concerns as they fundamentally alter the 2013 aspirations of the people of Zimbabwe, particularly without going back to the people in a referendum," the statement read.

"To His Excellency, the President; do not be swayed by those persuading you with these deeply concerning constitutional amendments fundamentally changing our people-driven 2013 Constitution."

ZHOCD said instead of pursuing term extensions, national leadership should focus on entrenching constitutional democracy in line with the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) and Vision 2030.

"We make this fervent call to resist any temptation to amend the Constitution for selfish ends, instead align with the national development agenda (NDS2) and Vision 2030 by entrenching constitutionalism and constitutional democracy in the country," the statement added.

The Christian body noted its historical involvement in the constitutional reform process that led to the adoption of the 2013 Constitution, saying it mobilised congregations nationwide to participate in Constitution Parliamentary Committee (COPAC) outreach and stakeholder consultations.

"These efforts are reflected in the 2013 Constitution's affirmation of diverse religious values, robust freedom of conscience, and a Preamble that acknowledges the supremacy of Almighty God," ZHOCD said.

The church leaders also highlighted ongoing socio-economic challenges facing Zimbabwe, including corruption, underperforming public services, infrastructure decay, poverty and inequality.

"Our nation continues to face deep and painful challenges: we have not fully benefited from our God-given mineral wealth; corruption remains entrenched in many institutions; public social services, health, education, and essential infrastructure continue to collapse or underperform; and poverty and inequality are increasing," the statement read.

ZHOCD said it would continue engaging the President and other stakeholders in what it described as a spirit of dialogue and national healing.

"We commit to strategic, non-partisan engagement across churches, civil society, traditional leaders, business, youth, and all citizens to ensure Zimbabwe does not regress, but advances toward the entrenchment of constitutional democracy," the statement said.

The body also confirmed it has launched a National Dialogue and Engagement document titled "The Zimbabwe We Want", which it says could guide a comprehensive national dialogue process aimed at resolving the country's challenges.