Zanu PF signature forgery claims deepen CAB3 rift

Internal tensions have erupted within ZANU-PF structures in Mashonaland West following serious allegations of fraud, coercion and signature forgery linked to efforts to mobilise support for Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3), a proposal aimed at extending President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term of office.

Party member Roy Chibatamombe has written a formal complaint to national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, accusing provincial structures of manipulating membership data to fabricate support for the constitutional changes.

In the letter, Chibatamombe alleges that personal details such as names and identity numbers were allegedly extracted from party cell registers and used to complete CAB3 forms without the consent of members. He claims this created a false impression of grassroots backing for the amendment.

He further warned that such conduct could constitute fraud and impersonation under Zimbabwe’s criminal laws, and argued that it undermines constitutional requirements for genuine public participation in law-making processes.

According to Chibatamombe, fear of victimisation has prevented many party members from openly opposing the proposed amendment, even where resistance exists at grassroots level.

Additional allegations from unnamed party members in areas such as Zvimba and Banket suggest that instructions were allegedly given to compile or copy names from party records and the voters’ roll to meet submission targets for the campaign.

However, provincial leadership has dismissed the claims. ZANU-PF Mashonaland West chairperson Mary Mliswa-Chikoka denied issuing any such directives, while provincial spokesperson Nigel Murambiwa described the allegations as fabricated.

Despite the denials, internal reports cited by whistleblowers suggest that quota-based targets may have been set for the submission of signed forms, intensifying suspicions of irregularities.

The dispute has exposed widening internal divisions within ZANU-PF over CAB3, with critics arguing that the amendment process is being driven through pressure tactics rather than voluntary consensus.

Opposition to the proposal has also been reported from senior political and military-linked figures, including Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, alongside war veterans and retired army officials who are said to be concerned about its broader constitutional implications.

As the controversy deepens, calls for an internal audit and verification of all submitted signatures are growing, raising questions about the legitimacy of the mobilisation process behind one of the most politically sensitive constitutional proposals in recent years.