Pro‑CAB3 rally cancelled as opposition claims backing for Bill is fading, venue 'haunted'

Harare – A planned “citizens’ solidarity” rally in support of Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3), organised by Zanu PF, was cancelled this week, triggering competing claims about the Bill’s public standing and the reasons behind the decision.


Zanu PF had billed the rally as a demonstration of popular support for CAB3, which proposes changes to presidential powers and parliamentary procedures. No official explanation for the cancellation had been issued by the party or authorities at the time of publication.

Hatcliffe Constituency MP Agency Gumbo said the event was intended to manufacture the appearance of public backing for the Bill.

“This rally was meant to do one thing: to push a false narrative that CAB3 enjoyed popular support,” Gumbo said.

“The sponsors and proponents of CAB3 have come to a recent shock realisation that citizens are not in support. CAB3 is an elite and corrupt arrangement aimed at disenfranchising citizens and engineering succession within Zanu PF,” he claimed.

Gumbo added that the cancellation was likely influenced by intelligence reports indicating resistance to the Bill both inside and outside the ruling party.

An anonymous security source said the rally’s organisation had “fallen into disarray” after encountering pushback from senior officials within government and Zanu PF.

“Though I am not at liberty to disclose the characters behind the resistance, I can tell you that it has reached another level. Those powerful characters behind the resistance no longer tolerate political toxicity or nonsense,” the source said.

Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa and national political commissar Munyaradzi Machacha did not respond to requests for comment on Gumbo’s allegations or the anonymous account. Attempts to obtain comment from the party’s information directorate were also unsuccessful, with Farai Marapira saying he was in a meeting and would “respond by texts”.

The party has previously maintained that CAB3 is intended to align laws with the 2013 Constitution and improve governance efficiency.

Meanwhile, the cancellation has reignited discussion about Robert Mugabe Square, the planned venue. On social media and among some activists, the square has been described as a site of repeated political contestation, with some joking that the venue “seems haunted” by shifting political fortunes. While no evidence supports supernatural claims, analysts say the symbolism of the space makes it a recurring focal point for political messaging and public mobilisation.

Political analysts say the cancellation reflects the difficulty of demonstrating broad public support for constitutional changes amid polarised debate. They note that without independent polling or verifiable turnout data, claims about public sentiment remain contested.

Parliament is expected to continue deliberations on CAB3 this Tuesday, with a vote to follow. Government maintains the Bill is necessary for administrative efficiency, while opposition parties argue it risks weakening checks and balances and consolidating executive power. Analysts say the outcome will shape the next phase of Zimbabwe’s constitutional and political trajectory, with debates continuing across platforms such as Zimbabwe political X‑spaces.