As the battle over Constitution Amendment Bill No. 3 intensifies, Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has sought to present the controversial legislation as a product of overwhelming public support and extensive parliamentary debate. Yet beneath the impressive statistics and carefully crafted rhetoric lies a disturbing reality: this bill represents one of the most significant threats to Zimbabwe’s democratic gains since the adoption of the 2013 Constitution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Replying to the second reading debate in Parliament, Ziyambi repeatedly emphasised the number of legislators who participated in discussions and the supposed level of public support received during consultations. According to the minister, 139 out of 182 Members of Parliament were positively disposed towards the bill, while over 537,000 submissions allegedly supported it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the central question remains unanswered. Does the number of people claimed to support a proposal automatically make it democratic, constitutional or morally justified?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
History teaches us that majorities can sometimes be mobilised behind measures that ultimately undermine fundamental rights and freedoms. Constitutional safeguards exist precisely to protect democratic principles from the shifting interests of those who temporarily hold power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What makes CAB3 particularly alarming is that it seeks to fundamentally alter the relationship between citizens and the presidency. One of its most controversial provisions would allow Parliament to choose a president in certain circumstances rather than allowing Zimbabweans themselves to exercise that power through a direct national vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ziyambi argues that the lengthy parliamentary debate somehow validates this proposal. In reality, the amount of time spent discussing a bill does not determine whether it strengthens or weakens democracy. A bad law remains a bad law even after seven days of debate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The minister also places heavy reliance on figures from public consultations. Yet many Zimbabweans remain sceptical about the credibility of these numbers. The claim that more than 537,000 submissions supported the bill while fewer than 3,000 opposed it raises legitimate questions, particularly given the widespread public criticism the proposal has attracted from civil society organisations, constitutional experts and opposition groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
More importantly, constitutional rights are not decided through popularity contests. The right of citizens to choose their leaders directly is a democratic principle that should not be diluted because those currently in power find existing constitutional arrangements inconvenient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Perhaps the most revealing aspect of Ziyambi’s speech is his attempt to portray CAB3 as an ordinary constitutional amendment. It is anything but ordinary. The Constitution is not supposed to be a flexible political instrument that can be adjusted whenever the ruling elite wishes to consolidate its position. It is meant to restrain power, not facilitate its expansion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 2013 Constitution emerged from years of negotiations and represented a national consensus on how Zimbabwe should be governed. Constantly reopening and rewriting key provisions risks transforming the Constitution from a national covenant into a partisan political document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zimbabweans should therefore look beyond the statistics being presented in Parliament and focus on the substance of what is being proposed. The issue is not whether 139 MPs supported the bill. The issue is whether CAB3 strengthens democratic accountability, protects constitutionalism and respects the sovereign will of the people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On those fundamental questions, many Zimbabweans remain unconvinced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A constitution belongs to the people, not to politicians. Any amendment that weakens citizens’ direct voice in choosing their leaders should be viewed with extreme caution, regardless of how many speeches are made in its defence or how many statistics are cited in support of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The future of Zimbabwe’s democracy depends not on the convenience of those in power, but on preserving the principle that political authority derives directly from the people themselves.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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