Chiwenga pressure leaves Zanu PF in panic

Zimbabwe's ruling party ZANU–PF has reportedly instructed its Members of Parliament that they will be issued with prepared talking notes when the controversial Constitutional Amendment Bill Number 3 (CAB3) is tabled in Parliament.

The development is said to reflect deepening factional tensions within the party between supporters of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and those aligned to his deputy, Constantino Chiwenga, amid an increasingly contested succession landscape.

According to reports, a recent ZANU–PF caucus meeting in Harare was marked by strict instructions to MPs that they must adhere to a unified party position during debate on the bill.

Party chief whip Pupurai Togarepi allegedly reminded legislators that the ruling party operates under a strict whipping system, discouraging independent positions in parliamentary discussions.

Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi is also reported to have told MPs that they would not be voting on the bill in the conventional sense.

Instead, attendance and registration were said to be treated as a substitute for voting, with debate tightly controlled and guided by written materials supplied to MPs in advance.

One MP, speaking anonymously, claimed legislators were told they would receive pre-written arguments and that officials from the Ministry of Justice would effectively "coach" them on what to say during debate.

The proposed CAB3 amendments reportedly include major constitutional changes, including extending presidential tenure, shifting presidential election powers from the electorate to Parliament, and restructuring several governance institutions.

The bill has sparked concern among critics who argue it could significantly alter Zimbabwe's democratic framework and weaken institutional checks and balances.

Within the caucus, however, some MPs are said to have raised objections, arguing that such fundamental constitutional changes should require broader public participation or a referendum.

Critics have also questioned whether senior government officials involved in the amendment process may benefit directly from the proposed changes, raising concerns about conflicts of interest.

The meeting reportedly concluded with MPs receiving allowances in cash and fuel allocations, a move observers say reflects intensified efforts to ensure party discipline ahead of the bill's parliamentary stages.

The developments highlight ongoing internal divisions within ZANU–PF as the CAB3 debate moves closer to formal parliamentary consideration.