CAB3 proposed amendment entrenches 'Big Man Syndrome'

Exiled former Higher Education deputy minister Godfrey Gandawa has strongly opposed the proposed Constitutional Amendment (No. 3) Bill, warning that it risks reversing democratic gains and promoting authoritarian rule.

In a detailed written submission to the Parliament of Zimbabwe, reportedly sent from his base in Namibia, Gandawa traced Zimbabwe's constitutional evolution from independence in 1980 to the present day.

He argued that the country inherited the Lancaster House Constitution as a transitional framework, which was subsequently amended multiple times to consolidate executive authority rather than strengthen democratic institutions.

"The introduction of an executive presidency in the mid-1980s marked a decisive shift towards centralised authority," Gandawa said, adding that these changes entrenched what he described as the "Big Man Syndrome," where state institutions become subordinated to individual leadership.

According to Gandawa, this governance model contributed to prolonged instability, contested legitimacy and episodes of political violence.

He further argued that the Constitution of Zimbabwe 2013 was designed to correct these historical imbalances by promoting transparency, accountability and the separation of powers.

"The 2013 Constitution represented a national consensus to dismantle personalised rule," he said. "It introduced term limits, strengthened judicial independence and reaffirmed that authority must derive from the people."

Gandawa warned that the proposed amendment must be assessed against this historical context, arguing that it risks undoing those reforms.

"This is not a neutral proposal. It reopens a constitutional wound that the nation worked painstakingly to close," he said.

He also insisted that any changes affecting presidential tenure or executive authority must be subjected to a national referendum, as required by the Constitution.

"A referendum is not optional. It is a safeguard to ensure that the people remain the ultimate source of political authority," Gandawa said.

He cautioned that proceeding without public approval would undermine constitutional order and erode democratic progress.

Gandawa, who served as Member of Parliament for Magunje from 2013 until his removal during the Operation Restore Legacy, concluded that passing the amendment without a referendum would amount to overriding the will of the people and reversing years of constitutional reform.