Mnangagwa has fast tracked his end, says Chamisa

Former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa says President Emmerson Mnangagwa may have inadvertently accelerated his own political downfall by signing the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Act, 2026 into law.

Addressing Zimbabwean professionals living in the United Kingdom on Thursday night, Chamisa argued that the constitutional amendments had united Zimbabweans across political divides by bringing renewed focus to the country's governance challenges.

"After he rail-roaded the amendment on the people using violence, it has made things even more clearer as to what is the Zimbabwean problem. Even the world can now see the problem. Constitutional Amendment Act 3 (CAA3) is a platform for galvanising the people of Zimbabwe, uniting them against an obvious problem – which is Mnangagwa. Even those in Zanu-PF don't like it, so it presents us with an opportunity to resolutely and quickly deal with Mnangagwa," Chamisa said.

The constitutional amendment, signed into law earlier this month, has sparked widespread debate after introducing changes that include postponing the next harmonised elections to 2030 and extending the terms of the President, Parliament and local authorities. The legislation is currently the subject of legal challenges by opposition parties, activists and civil society organisations.

Chamisa also revealed that he was at an advanced stage of building what he described as a broad-based movement aimed at bringing political change to Zimbabwe.

"In each of the 48,000 villages in Zimbabwe, we have representatives who we have been meeting and setting systems. In the 10,000 streets in Harare, we have a representative. We have the capacity to effect change in Zimbabwe, but we are not going to be reckless about our next move. We must first reach a consensus with the people; no leader elects himself, it's about the people first," he said.

Since stepping away from the CCC following internal disputes that reshaped the party's leadership, Chamisa has faced criticism from some supporters who accused him of abandoning the opposition movement after the 2023 elections.

Responding to those concerns, Chamisa told members of the Zimbabwean diaspora that the struggle for democratic change should not revolve around one individual.

"We must not rely on Chamisa because this is a broad movement. We must focus on the issues, not individuals. We must not put individuals on a pedestal. Once we focus on issues, things get clearer," he said.

Chamisa is currently on a visit to the United Kingdom, where he has held meetings with British politicians and civil society representatives to discuss developments in Zimbabwe.

He is expected to address members of the Zimbabwean community in Manchester and Corby over the weekend as part of his engagements with the diaspora.