Zimbabwe's Political Firestorm: Mnangagwa Faces Referendum Demand on CAB3

Significant pressure is being exerted on President Emmerson Mnangagwa, urging him to refrain from signing Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 into law. The civic organization, WeThePeople, has specifically called for the controversial legislation to be subjected to a national referendum before receiving presidential assent. This Bill, which has already passed through Parliament with the backing of the ruling ZANU PF party, seeks to extend the tenures of the President, Parliament, and local authorities beyond their current expiration in 2028, potentially pushing them to 2030.

In a direct letter to President Mnangagwa, WeThePeople referenced his well-known declaration made after assuming office in 2017: "the voice of the people is the voice of God." The organization respectfully submitted that a national referendum would serve as the ultimate expression of this principle, allowing the citizens of Zimbabwe to directly determine whether Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 should be integrated into the nation's supreme law. The letter underscored that if the voice of the people truly represents the voice of God, then this voice must be heard prior to assent being given to any legislation designed to alter the Constitution.

Furthermore, WeThePeople emphasized the importance of upholding Section 328 of the Constitution, which provides crucial safeguards against incumbent office holders benefiting from constitutional amendments related to their tenure or term limits. The organization argued that if Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 is indeed intended to extend the constitutional tenure or term limits of the incumbent President or any current holder of public office, then the Zimbabwean populace must be granted the opportunity to make a definitive pronouncement on the matter through a national referendum before such benefits can legally come into effect. It was also noted that any proposal attempting to override or modify the constitutional protection found in Section 328(7) is itself shielded by additional protections under Section 328.

Despite President Mnangagwa's repeated assertions that he does not intend to seek another term when his current tenure concludes in 2028, he has maintained silence throughout the extensive debate surrounding Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3. This silence persists even as some of his ardent supporters have openly campaigned for his term to be extended to 2030. WeThePeople firmly urged the President to withhold his assent until the people of Zimbabwe have had a clear opportunity to express their will on the proposed amendments through a free, fair, transparent, and nationally inclusive referendum. The organization concluded by stating that the sovereignty of the people, from whom all constitutional authority is derived, must remain the foundational principle guiding the future of Zimbabwe's Constitution.