The Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) leader, Sibangilizwe Nkomo, has issued a stern warning against attempts to erode fundamental constitutional rights, as opposition to the proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 continues to mount.
Nkomo reminded Zimbabweans of the founding principles of the country’s constitution, which he said were rooted in the liberation struggle.
“Please allow me to remind you of the fundamental basis of our constitution. You will remember that when we waged the war of liberation, the promise was land to the people, the mantra was one man one vote, the slogan was power to the people. These three principles are the original foundation of our constitution as far as I am concerned,” Nkomo said to CITE.
“These doctrines are enshrined in our constitution and we hold them to be true and sacrosanct. We cannot as a nation sit back and allow the unscrupulous and greedy amongst us to take away from the people their right to vote, their hard‑won land and their power to make decisions that affect their well‑being as a nation.”
Nkomo added that these fundamental rights must never be taken away, “not now or ever”.
He called on all Zimbabweans to unite against the Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3, also known as CAB3, with the same spirit that won the country’s freedom from “previous secular regimes, domination and oppression”.
Nkomo’s remarks come as three constitutional advocacy organisations formally withdrew from the ongoing public hearings on CAB3, declaring the process a sham and announcing a coordinated citizen‑driven campaign in its place.
Convenor of the Defend the Constitution Platform (DCP), Jameson Timba, made the announcement at a joint press conference in Harare on Wednesday.
Timba was flanked by opposition leader Tendai Biti of the Constitutional Defenders Forum (CDF) and Professor Lovemore Madhuku of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA).
The Bill has ignited fierce opposition across civil society, especially considering that the parliamentary public hearings on the amendment bill have descended into chaos, with scenes of violence, intimidation and disorder widely attributed by critics to Zanu PF’s heavy-handed tactics.
Among the Bill’s most contentious provisions is a proposal to extend the presidential term by two years, believed to have been designed to keep President Emmerson Mnangagwa in power beyond 2028.
The Bill also proposes that the president be elected by Members of Parliament rather than directly by the people, a central shift away from popular suffrage.
Meanwhile, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has accused the police of blocking its planned peaceful demonstration against CAB3, while allowing ruling party rallies to proceed.
“Today (Thursday), the Zimbabwe Republic Police has barred the MDC from holding a peaceful demonstration against the Zanu PF Resolution Number 1, now known as Constitutional Amendment Bill Number 3 (CAB3) which seeks to abolish the right of every Zimbabwean to vote for a President of his choice,” the MDC said in a statement.
“Whilst at the same time, Zanu PF is allowed to hold rallies promoting the same bill and distributing food hampers and bicycles.”
The MDC called on all peaceful Zimbabweans to prepare for the demonstration, saying it is a constitutional right.
In a letter dated 1 April 2026 addressed to MDC’s Clifton Zumba, Harare Central Police District Chief Superintendent S. Chibira, the regulating authority, said the notification to hold a demonstration on 4 April from 10am to 1pm had been noted but did not fully comply with the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act.
“Please take note that your notification does not fully comply with critical provisions of Section 7 of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (MOPA) chapter 11:23 and as such the demonstration is not sanctioned,” Chibira wrote.
The police letter did not specify which provisions of the Act had not been met.