Event Summary
On 10 February 2026, Speaker of Parliament Hon. Jacob Mudenda announced that the Zimbabwean cabinet had approved a controversial constitutional amendment bill – Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No 3), Bill 2026. This proposed legislation aims to extend the presidential term from five to seven years and allow Parliament to elect the President, rather than the public directly. The Minister of Justice, Hon. Ziyambi Ziyambi, is championing this amendment, which is aligned with the resolutions of the ruling party, Zanu PF.
The government defends these changes by arguing that they will enhance political stability and ensure the continuity of policies, thus enabling development programmes to be completed effectively. However, critics contend that this move undermines democratic legitimacy by placing the authority to elect the President in the hands of Parliament, effectively side-lining the electorate.
In the wake of this announcement, tensions escalated, culminating in an armed police presence outside the Milton Park offices of former Finance Minister Tendai Biti on 16 February 2026. Mr. Biti, who serves as the convener of the Constitution Defenders Forum (CDF), has emerged as a prominent critic of Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3, recently approved in principle by the Cabinet. He argues that the amendments threaten democracy by altering existing term-limit provisions, specifically proposing to extend the terms of both the President and Parliament from 2028 to 2030. This has heightened fears among opponents that the changes will allow for an erosion of civic participation and accountability in Zimbabwean governance.