Harare, Zimbabwe — The sun beats down on the bustling streets of Chitungwiza, a city teeming with the vibrancy and tension of Zimbabweans addressing the potential alteration of their political landscape. In the town’s main aquatic complex, a crowd of citizens is seething with emotion, as a small mob including a combative woman in a cream floral dress loudly objects to speakers advocating for a constitutional amendment. This amendment, known as CAB3, seeks to extend the term of current President Emmerson Mnangagwa until 2030, and critics are wary of its implications.
The amendment would alter the presidential and legislative terms from five to seven years, while empowering parliament to elect the president, a shift from the current popular vote system. Mnangagwa is currently in his second term, and the ZANU-PF party’s majority in parliament has sparked fears that the change could further solidify the party’s control over the presidency. This week, across Zimbabwe, parliament held public hearings for four days to discuss the amendment and gather public opinion.
In Chitungwiza, a CAB3 supporter claimed to represent seven million backers of the legislation without providing evidence, provoking a反驳 from the woman in the floral dress. Elsewhere, Mike Kashiri, a resident in Epworth, supported the bill, believing that a parliamentary election for president could reduce political violence. Ishmael Phololo, a cellphone technician, expressed skepticism, suggesting that parliamentarians are too disconnected from the public’s plight to effectively choose the president.
Many Zimbabweans feel a sense of helplessness against the government’s decisions. “If they want to have indefinite terms,” Phololo said “they should just declare Zimbabwe a monarchy and stop pretending that we have democracy.” Last year, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Justice, Ziyambi Ziyambi, first spoke about extending Mnangagwa’s term. In February, the cabinet approved the amendment, and the CAB3 hearings followed, amid chaos and accusations of unfair moderation.
The public hearings have been met with both support and opposition. The Constitution Defenders Forum, opposing CAB3, saw its leaders arrested in Mutare. Annah Sande, former mayor of Epworth Local Board, expressed her disappointment over the way the hearings were conducted, noting the presence of ruling party members as officials.
Three organizations — National Constitutional Assembly, Defend the Constitution Platform, and the Constitution Defenders Forum—announced their collective opposition to CAB3. Jameson Timba, leader of the DCP, declared a united front against the bill. The process has also raised questions about the venues and duration of the hearings, as well as their aftermath, given the government’s plan for the bill to pass through parliament, where ZANU-PF has a majority.
Justice Mavedzenge, a constitutional expert, sees CAB3 as an attempt by Mnangagwa to cling to power and establish dynastic plans for the country. Mavedzenge noted Mnangagwa’s role in chairing the cabinet meeting that approved the bill, despite the president’s public denial of aspirations for extended tenure. Concerns about dynastic politics in Zimbabwe are not new, following Robert Mugabe’s reign, during which his wife was widely believed to be his intended successor.
Supporters of CAB3, such as Kashiri, contend that Mnangagwa has made commendable projects and deserves more time to complete them. However, Phololo raises questions about the accountability and sustainability of such projects under extended terms. The debate over CAB3 continues to resonate across Zimbabwe, highlighting the country’s deep-seated concerns about democracy and leadership.
Source: aljazeera
