Villagers cry foul over 'forced' CAB3 signature campaign

Villagers across several parts of Zimbabwe have raised alarm over a reported door-to-door campaign by ruling party structures allegedly demanding signatures in support of the proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill (CAB3).

According to sources, local structures linked to Zanu-PF - including ward officials and district coordinating committees - have been moving from household to household with pre-prepared forms backing the constitutional changes.

The exercise, villagers claim, is being presented not only as support for CAB3 but also as an endorsement of President Emmerson Mnangagwa remaining in power indefinitely.

Residents who spoke on condition of anonymity said the process has sparked fear and confusion in communities.

"We are alarmed. People should not be forced to support anyone," said one villager. "Support must be voluntary. What matters are votes, not coerced signatures."

Some villagers allege that traditional leaders have been tasked with compiling registers of those who sign, with pressure being applied to ensure full participation.

There are also claims that those who refuse to sign risk being denied access to government food aid or agricultural inputs, while others fear eviction from their ancestral land.

"Some village heads are even warning of banishment," another villager said. "They say they cannot tolerate defiance."

Sources indicated that many villagers are signing the forms without fully understanding their contents due to pressure.

"Even if you read it, you don't have a choice. To be safe, you just sign," one source said.

The signed documents are reportedly intended for submission to Parliament as evidence of grassroots backing for the Bill.

However, Zanu-PF director of information Farai Marapira dismissed the allegations, saying the party has no position supporting a life presidency.

"Our resolutions are clear and transparent. We do not communicate through such petitions, and there is no resolution on a life presidency," he said.

CAB3 has sparked intense national debate, with critics warning that it could centralise power and weaken democratic safeguards. Among its contentious provisions is a proposal to shift the election of the President from the electorate to legislators.

Public hearings held last month were reportedly marred by violence and disruptions, while opposition parties and civil society organisations have accused authorities of restricting dissenting voices.

Legal challenges against the Bill are mounting. One case, led by constitutional lawyer Lovemore Madhuku on behalf of war veterans, argues that the President acted unconstitutionally by presiding over a Cabinet that approved provisions potentially extending his tenure.

The case is scheduled to be heard on May 20.

As tensions rise, critics say the alleged intimidation of villagers reflects a broader pattern of shrinking democratic space, with increasing pressure on citizens and activists opposed to the proposed constitutional changes.