Plan to scrap presidential elections puts Zimbabweans at loggerheads

Opposition voices in Zimbabwe are increasingly concerned that the ruling Zanu-PF party is seeking to consolidate power through constitutional changes. The amendments aim to transfer the president’s selection from voters to parliament and increase the term limit from five to seven years. Veteran opposition leader and former finance minister Tendai Biti described the move as a “coup, a slow coup that is unfolding in Zimbabwe” during a BBC interview.

Party defends proposed reforms

Zanu-PF, which has governed since independence in 1980, insists the changes are necessary. Party spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa argued that the reforms offer a “less costly, less controversial” system. The debate has deepened divisions, with supporters of the ruling party and opposition factions clashing over the proposed constitutional overhaul.

Public hearings reveal polarised views

During recent parliamentary hearings, public sentiment split sharply. At a gathering in Harare’s sports arena, a woman asserted,

“I support the bill in its entirety.”

Thousands attended, with speakers advocating for President Mnangagwa to remain in power past 2028. Mnangagwa took leadership in 2017 after ousting Robert Mugabe, and later won contested elections in 2018 and 2023.

Meanwhile, in areas where critics sat, tensions escalated. Pushing, shoving, and fighting occurred, alongside the seizure of mobile devices and journalists being told to erase footage. Opposition lawyer Fadzayi Mahere claimed Zanu-PF supporters incited the disruption to silence dissent. Chinamasa dismissed this, stating,

“What reason do we have as Zanu-PF to be violent when the masses are behind us? The opposition does not accept that their view is failing to prevail.”

Repression claims and legal challenges

Opposition groups allege a surge in political suppression. Police reportedly banned over a dozen of their meetings before the hearings. Lovemore Madhuku, leader of the National Constitutional Assembly, said he was assaulted by masked attackers last month while under police watch. Biti, currently on bail for holding an unauthorized meeting, remarked to the BBC,

“We have a history of repression in Zimbabwe.”

The proposed bill, part of a campaign that began in 2024 with the rallying cry “2030 – he (Mnangagwa) will still be the leader,” has drawn fierce internal criticism within Zanu-PF. However, the death of key critic Blessed Geza, also known as “Bombshell,” earlier this year has weakened opposition resistance. Supporters of Mnangagwa argue the reforms will strengthen democracy, ending the contentious election processes they see as fostering violence and disputed outcomes.

Opposition figures, however, view the amendments as a step toward reinstating an “imperial presidency.” The 2013 constitution originally capped presidential terms at two, requiring voter approval for extensions. Biti and others claim the bill violates this rule by omitting a referendum, potentially opening the door to legal challenges. Zanu-PF remains confident, insisting the changes align with constitutional procedures and do not necessitate additional voter endorsements.