Timba Appeals To SADC, UN Over Proposed Constitutional Changes

The Defend the Constitution Platform (DCP) says it has appealed to international organisations in its bid to block ZANU PF’s plans to amend the Constitution.

The proposed Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Bill, 2026 (H.B. 1, 2026), published as a draft earlier this year, aims to make major changes to the 2013 Constitution.

Among other things, it would extend presidential, parliamentary and local authority terms from five to seven years, transfer management of the voters’ roll from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to the Registrar-General, and replace the direct popular vote in the election of the President with election by Parliament, requiring a majority (with a run-off if necessary).

Speaking on Monday in Harare, DCP convener Jameson Timba said the group had written to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the United Nations to voice concerns over the proposed amendments. Said Timba:

“Because the constitution is not merely a domestic political instrument but the foundation of our democratic order, the DCP has taken steps to raise these concerns through responsible and lawful international engagements.

“In the spirit of preventive diplomacy, we have communicated with the United Nations, the African Union and the Southern African Development Community.

“Our intention is not to internationalise domestic politics, it is to ensure that Zimbabwe’s constitutional process remains consistent with the democratic commitments that our country has voluntarily subscribed to.”

ZANU PF insists a national referendum isn’t needed, while the opposition says any changes must first be put to a vote.

Timba argued that amendments can’t go ahead without the support of the majority of citizens, who approved the current constitution in 2013.

More: NewZimbabwe.com

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