Human Rights Watchdog Demands Referendum on Constitutional Amendment Bill

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights has demanded that Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 be subjected to a national referendum, warning the proposed changes pose a grave threat to constitutionalism and risk concentrating excessive power in the executive. The Bill, gazetted Monday, proposes changing the presidential election process, extending parliamentary terms from five to seven years, and creating a separate delimitation commission. ZLHR said the amendments would undermine core constitutional principles and weaken democratic accountability by limiting public participation. The organisation also warned that changes to judicial appointment procedures could threaten judicial independence and erode public confidence in the justice system.

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights has demanded that the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment Bill (No.3) be subjected to a national referendum, warning the proposed changes pose a grave threat to constitutionalism and risk concentrating excessive power in the executive.

Government on Monday gazetted the Constitution Amendment No. 3 Bill, which proposes major changes, including changing the presidential election process, extending Parliament’s term from five to seven years, paving the way for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to remain in office until 2030.

In a statement on Tuesday, ZLHR urged government to immediately halt any actions that undermine constitutional rights and ensure reforms align with democratic standards and international human rights obligations.

It specifically called on authorities to submit the Bill to a referendum, emphasising that any major changes must reflect the will of the people.

“Respect the entrenched provisions of the Constitution by submitting the Bill to a referendum, ensuring that the people of Zimbabwe have the final say on the proposed amendments,” ZLHR said.

A referendum is a process where citizens vote directly to approve or reject proposed constitutional changes, ensuring the people have the final say on amendments to the country’s supreme law.

The human rights watchdog also said the proposed amendments will undermine the core principles of the country’s supreme law.

“The proposed amendments threaten to erode and fundamentally undermine the core principles of constitutionalism and risk entrenching excessive executive power,” ZLHR said.

The Bill also seeks to overhaul electoral governance by creating a separate delimitation commission and transferring voter registration from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to the Registrar-General’s office.

ZLHR warned these changes could undermine public participation and weaken democratic accountability.

“The net effect of these proposed amendments would concentrate decisive power in the hands of legislators and the executive, limiting public participation in the affairs that concern them. Such changes undermine the principle of popular sovereignty… and contravene the fundamental principles of representative democracy, the rule of law, and the separation of powers.”

ZLHR further warned that changes to judicial appointment procedures could threaten the independence of the judiciary and erode public confidence in the justice delivery system. 

Source-NewZimbabwe