'CAB3 allows unpopular candidate to become Zimbabwe President'

Harare West legislator Joanna Mamombe has mounted a strong opposition to the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3), arguing that the proposed changes would weaken democracy, erode electoral independence and transfer power away from ordinary citizens.

Speaking during parliamentary debate on Thursday, Mamombe said she was representing the views of residents from her constituency, who she claimed overwhelmingly rejected the proposed constitutional amendments during consultations held in Marlborough on March 21, 2026.

She told Parliament that the Bill posed fundamental questions about the future of Zimbabwe's democratic system and the sovereignty of its citizens.

"Our Constitution is not an ordinary statute. It is the supreme law and a social contract between citizens and the State," Mamombe said.

"The fundamental question is: does this Bill strengthen the sovereignty of the people, or does it take power from the people and concentrate it in the Executive?"

The opposition legislator took particular aim at Clause 2 of the Bill, which proposes transferring responsibility for voter registration and custody of the voters' roll from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to the Registrar-General's Office.

Mamombe argued that the move would undermine the independence of the electoral process.

"Whoever controls the voters' roll controls a critical part of our electoral process. This weakens electoral independence and places it under an office without the same constitutional safeguards," she said.

She maintained that electoral reforms should focus on strengthening ZEC rather than reducing its responsibilities.

One of her strongest objections centred on Clause 3, which proposes replacing direct presidential elections with a system in which Parliament elects the President.

Mamombe described the proposal as one of the most controversial aspects of the Bill.

"The people of Harare West are clear: the President must be elected directly by the people. One person, one vote. Why should an elected few decide for the majority?" she asked.

She warned that such a system could create opportunities for patronage, political manipulation and undue influence within Parliament.

According to Mamombe, the proposed changes could potentially allow an individual who lacks broad public support to assume the presidency through parliamentary processes.

The legislator also opposed Clauses 4, 9 and 10, which seek to extend the electoral cycle and terms of office from five years to seven years.

She argued that voters who participated in the 2023 elections had done so on the understanding that elected officials would serve five-year terms.

"To extend the term after an election is to alter the people's mandate after it has been given. Section 328(7) is a constitutional firewall against self-serving amendments," she said.

Mamombe further criticised Clause 8, which would expand the President's powers to appoint additional senators, as well as Clause 21, which seeks to remove constitutional restrictions requiring traditional leaders to remain non-partisan.

She also raised concerns over provisions affecting the delimitation process and the role of ZEC in determining electoral boundaries.

Taken together, she argued, the amendments would concentrate power within the Executive and weaken democratic oversight mechanisms.

"Read together, these provisions de-democratise the Senate and risk executive control of boundary-making," she said.

Throughout her contribution, Mamombe repeatedly emphasised what she described as growing public demands for a referendum on the proposed constitutional changes.

"The recurring message from Harare West was demand for a referendum," she said.

"The people made this Constitution. The people must decide if it must be fundamentally altered."

The Harare West MP concluded by urging legislators to reject the Bill in its entirety, arguing that the Constitution ultimately belongs to Zimbabwean citizens rather than political actors.

"I submit that CAB3 must be rejected in its entirety," Mamombe said.

"This Constitution belongs to the people."

Her remarks come as debate over CAB3 continues to dominate Parliament and public discourse, with supporters arguing that the amendments will improve governance and policy continuity, while critics contend that the proposed changes undermine democratic principles and constitutional safeguards.

The Bill remains under consideration in Parliament, where lawmakers are expected to continue debating its provisions before a final vote is taken.