Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 opens door to endless term extensions – rights lawyer 

Rights lawyer Douglas Coltart has criticised Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3, warning that the proposed changes risk creating a dangerous precedent that could encourage political leaders to cling to power beyond their constitutional terms.

The controversial Bill sailed through the National Assembly last week, paving the way for its consideration by the Senate.

The proposed legislation has attracted fierce opposition, with critics accusing ZANU PF of seeking to circumvent constitutional safeguards and extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rule beyond the 2028 elections, when his second and final term is due to expire.

Addressing concerns over the proposed amendments, Coltart urged President Mnangagwa to respect the constitutional term limits endorsed by Zimbabweans.

“I urge the President to uphold those very words, to respect the people of Zimbabwe, and to respect the term limits that were imposed upon you,” said Coltart.

“You were only given a five-year mandate, and that mandate expires in 2028. This issue has never been put to the people. The mandate that was given was a five-year term, and that needs to be respected.”

Coltart warned that allowing Parliament to extend its own tenure could open the door to future abuses of power.

“To the people of Zimbabwe, we need to understand that if we allow Parliament to do this now, to take for itself a right it does not have to extend its own term, we will be opening the door to perpetual extensions,” he said.

The prospect of both President Mnangagwa and Members of Parliament benefiting from the amendments has emerged as a key point of contention surrounding the Bill and forms the basis of opposition calls for a national referendum.

Coltart argued that the ruling party was reluctant to subject the Bill to a referendum because it feared voters would reject it.

“Nobody likes this bill. The sham of public hearings that took place, where people were violently assaulted and marched around, does not prove anything, and the system knows that, which is why they cannot afford it. They do not want it to go for a referendum,” said Coltart.

The National Assembly passed the Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 with 216 MPs voting in favour and 42 against, it is now expected to be tabled before the Senate for consideration.

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