Zimbabwean lawyer and politician Lovemore Madhuku has said the ZANU-PF members pushing for constitutional amendments to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term beyond two terms do not have the country’s best interests at heart. He described their actions as a crime against humanity.
The Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No 3) Bill, 2026, gazetted in February 2026, proposes extending presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years. This would move the next election from 2028 to 2030. The Bill also seeks to have the President elected by Parliament instead of through a popular vote.
Key public backers of the amendment include Daniel Garwe, Ziyambi Ziyambi, Patrick Chinamasa and Paul Tungwarara, among others.
Speaking on the programme “In Conversation with Trevor”, Madhuku, who leads the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), said the proponents of the Bill know Zimbabwe would be better off under different leadership.
“But because their intention, which is the bad intention, is to capture the country. Capture its resources… So, I would call it a crime, actually. The crime that they are committing. It’s a very serious one. They are committing that crime with an intention,” said Madhuku.
“It’s clear that these people, who are pushing CAB3, know that it is not correct as a matter of law.
“They know that it is not correct as a matter of politics. They also know that the majority of Zimbabweans don’t want that…
“So what crime are they committing? I think it’s a crime against humanity. That’s the crime that they’re committing. The crime against humanity.”
Madhuku said the ongoing push to amend the Constitution was not only a crime against humanity but also a coup.
He added that even if the Bill were passed by Parliament and signed into law by the President, it would not be legal.
Madhuku warned that the proponents of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No 3) Bill were seeking to overturn the decision made by three million people who voted in the referendum just 13 years ago.
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