Opposition leaders in Zimbabwe announced their withdrawal from the ongoing public hearings on Constitutional Amendment No. 3, citing the process as a “choreographed “affair that lacks genuine consultation. The decision follows a series of disturbances at the City Sports Centre in Harare, where several opposition figures were reportedly denied speaking opportunities. Human rights lawyer Doug Coltart was said to have been assaulted and his mobile phone stolen during the unrest.
Jameson Timba, the opposition leader, addressed a press conference in Harare, declaring that the hearings had failed to provide citizens with a meaningful platform to voice their opinions. “What we witnessed yesterday in Harare and indeed in other parts of the country cannot be described as a genuine consultative process, “Timba said emphasizing the exclusion of citizens from the process.
The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) also voiced its disapproval, labeling the hearings as a “sham, stage-managed “process aimed at creating consent rather than reflecting public opinion. The union participated in the hearings due to moral duty but questioned the legality, transparency, and democratic integrity of the process.
ARTUZ claimed that Doug Coltart was physically assaulted and had his phone stolen, with his glasses also damaged. The union highlighted a pattern of harassment and intimidation, with some individuals opposing the amendment allegedly silenced through threats and denial of speaking opportunities.
The union demanded an immediate end to violence, guarantees of safety for participants, and a genuinely open and inclusive consultation process. “The future of Zimbabwe cannot be built on fear, coercion, and exclusion, “the statement concluded.
Source: allafrica
