CAB3 critics allege crackdown as Senate passes Bill

Opponents of Constitution Amendment No. 3 (CAB3) have accused authorities of intensifying a crackdown on dissent after a series of arrests, police raids and alleged acts of intimidation coincided with the Bill's passage through the Senate this week.

The controversial Bill, which seeks to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa's term of office by two years and introduce several constitutional changes, was approved by the Senate and is expected to return to the National Assembly for consideration of amendments before being transmitted to the President for assent.

As the legislative process unfolded, members of the Tendai Biti-led Constitution Defenders Forum (CDF), one of the organisations campaigning against the Bill, said they had become the latest targets of State action.

On Tuesday, police arrested CDF Harare provincial director for programmes Paul Gorekore at his home in connection with his activities opposing CAB3.

Later the same day, armed police officers reportedly raided the CDF's offices in central Harare, which are housed in the same building as Tendai Biti's law chambers.

According to the organisation, officers arrived in two police vehicles, forced entry into the offices and seized campaign material, including T-shirts and flyers used in the campaign against the constitutional amendments.

Earlier in the week, former opposition legislator Amos Chibaya reported receiving an anonymous death threat linked to a planned political meeting to discuss CAB3.

According to a police report filed at Milton Park Police Station, Chibaya received a text message warning that if the meeting proceeded, he would "die from arson."

CDF spokesperson Freeman Chari said the organisation believed the actions formed part of a broader campaign targeting its leadership.

"State agents are going after our leadership in CDF," Chari said.

"They raided Harare province's director of programmes Paul Gorekore a few days ago, they besieged Tendai Biti's offices two days ago and today they have raided Gilbert Bgwende's home.

"They have rammed an unpopular amendment on people and they are making sure our voices are muzzled, but we will keep speaking up and mobilising against this."

CDF condemned the raids as attempts to intimidate citizens exercising their constitutional rights to freedom of expression and political participation.

The incidents followed earlier reports of police maintaining a presence outside Biti's law offices, an action the former Finance Minister described as an unlawful interference with his right to work.

Opposition politician Gift "Ostallos" Siziba also expressed concern over what he described as a growing pattern of intimidation targeting critics of the constitutional amendments.

"The reported threats against suspected CAB3 critics are deeply concerning and point to a worrying rise in intimidation and harassment," Siziba said.

"It increasingly appears as though the constitutional Bill of Rights is being treated as suspended."

Siziba said he had also been subjected to similar intimidation.

Political analyst Reason Wafawarova argued that the alleged targeting of CAB3 opponents reflected insecurity rather than confidence in the proposed constitutional changes.

"Victimisation of CAB3 critics is a confession of fear," he said.

"Fear of truth. Fear of the people. Fear of reality. Fear of the inevitable. It is a confirmation of illegitimacy."

Wafawarova further argued that resistance to calls for a referendum suggested concerns about the level of public support for the proposed amendments.

Defend the Constitution Platform (DCP) convener Jameson Timba said a genuinely popular constitutional amendment would not require the silencing of opposing voices.

"In a democracy, popular ideas prevail through persuasion, open debate and, where the Constitution requires it, through the sovereign will of the people expressed in a referendum and not through fear or coercion," Timba said.

He renewed calls for a national referendum on the proposed constitutional changes.

"We therefore call upon the authorities to guarantee the safety and constitutional rights of every citizen regardless of their political views and to ensure that Zimbabwe remains a country where constitutional questions are resolved through dialogue, lawful processes and respect for the people's sovereignty rather than intimidation," he said.

Efforts to obtain comment from the Zimbabwe Republic Police were unsuccessful.

CAB3 proposes several amendments to the Constitution, including extending the current terms of office for the President, Members of Parliament and local authority councillors by two years. The Bill has generated significant debate, attracting support from the ruling party while facing opposition from sections of the opposition, civil society organisations and some former senior Zanu-PF officials, including retired military officers and liberation war veterans.