Biti's CDF slams ‘insufficient' CAB3 meetings

The Constitution Defenders Forum (CDF) has condemned ongoing public consultations on the proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill, describing the process as insufficient for a matter of national importance.

The consultations, organised by the Parliament of Zimbabwe, began this week and are scheduled to run until April 2.

In a statement, CDF national spokesperson Jacob Rukweza criticised the four-day consultation period and the limited number of venues, arguing that they do not allow for meaningful public participation. He said it would be impossible for millions of citizens, including over six million registered voters, to adequately express their views within such a short timeframe using only 65 venues nationwide.

The forum is calling for the consultation period to be extended to 30 days and for meetings to be decentralised to all wards across the country to ensure broader inclusion and participation.

CDF also urged that any proposed constitutional amendments affecting presidential term limits be subjected to a referendum, in line with provisions of the Constitution.

The organisation raised several concerns about the contents of the Bill, including provisions that could allow for an unelected president appointed by Parliament, the possibility of extending President Emmerson Mnangagwa's tenure beyond 2028, and proposals to introduce a seven-year presidential term. It also objected to the proposed abolition of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, the appointment of additional unelected senators by the President, suggested changes to the military's constitutional role, and plans to move control of the voters' roll from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to the Registrar General's Office.

Rukweza stressed that executive authority should be derived directly from the people through elections, warning against any framework that would allow leadership to be determined without direct public participation. He also expressed concern over the potential politicisation of traditional leaders, arguing that their roles should remain non-partisan.

CDF said its legal team is expected to formally engage Parliament in the coming days by submitting a detailed position paper outlining its objections.

At the same time, the organisation has encouraged citizens and its members to attend the ongoing consultations and make their voices heard, as debate over the Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill continues to intensify across Zimbabwe's political and civic landscape.