{"id":115168,"date":"2026-02-12T23:31:19","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T21:31:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zimbabwe\/all-news\/democracy-under-attack-as-zanu-pf-constitutional-coup"},"modified":"2026-02-13T01:38:55","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T23:38:55","slug":"democracy-under-attack-as-zanu-pf-constitutional-coup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zimbabwe\/all-news\/democracy-under-attack-as-zanu-pf-constitutional-coup","title":{"rendered":"Democracy Under Attack as Zanu PF Constitutional Coup"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. <\/strong><\/span>ZIMBABWE\u2019S democracy faces a critical test as the government prepares a sweeping constitutional overhaul that could fundamentally reshape the nation\u2019s political landscape and strip citizens of key democratic rights.<\/p>\n

Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi on Tuesday presented a memorandum to Cabinet outlining the proposed Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment Bill, 2026, which includes plans to abolish direct presidential elections, extend presidential and parliamentary terms and alter succession rules.<\/p>\n

At the centre of the proposed changes is section 92, which guarantees every eligible Zimbabwean the right to vote for the President.<\/p>\n

Under the draft amendment, the President would, instead, be chosen by a joint sitting of Parliament \u2014 a move critics say is designed to consolidate power within Zanu PF and curtail the electorate\u2019s influence.<\/p>\n

The Bill also proposes extending both presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years, potentially allowing President Emmerson Mnangagwa to remain in office beyond 2028.<\/p>\n

Legal experts and civil society groups have warned that such amendments may require a public referendum, a step the government has publicly rejected.<\/p>\n

\u201cZanu PF is not seeking to amend the Constitution; it is attempting to introduce an entirely new constitution outside people participation and a referendum; a step it plainly has no right to take,\u201d explained lawyer Thabani Mpofu on X (formerly Twitter).<\/p>\n

\u201cZanu PF is not even acting on the authority of its highest decision-making body, congress. Conference is not congress.\u201d<\/p>\n

Activist Obert Masaraure rallied Zimbabweans to reject the constitutional overhaul.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis Bill is not an \u2018evolution\u2019; it is a counter-revolutionary strike,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe call upon the dispossessed masses to rise in a united front to bury these amendments before they see the light of day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Defend the Constitution Platform leader Jameson Timba said Cabinet was not a constituent authority.<\/p>\n

\u201cAny constitutional amendment that affects presidential tenure directly implicates the sovereign right of the people to choose their leaders and alters foundational democratic safeguards,\u201d Timba said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe attempt to fast-track constitutional change through Cabinet and Parliament while a live constitutional matter is before the Constitutional Court risks undermining constitutional restraint and eroding public confidence in institutions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Critics warned that the changes can institutionalise electoral manipulation and weaken safeguards against authoritarianism as seen in other African countries.<\/p>\n

While countries such as Malawi have demonstrated democratic resilience with peaceful elections and smooth transfer of power, others, including Tanzania, Madagascar and Cameroon, have experienced election-related violence, coups and authoritarian entrenchment.<\/p>\n

In Tanzania, opposition parties were barred from contesting, protests were violently suppressed and the government manipulated results to secure an improbable 98% of the vote, undermining public trust in democracy.<\/p>\n

Similarly, in Madagascar, popular protests triggered by social crises led to a military takeover, suspending democratic institutions.<\/p>\n

Commentators and activists warn that the constitutional amendment proposals can push Zimbabwe towards the same trajectory, undermining the very democratic gains fought for during the liberation struggle.<\/p>\n

Activist Gift \u201cOstallos\u201d Siziba urged citizens to remain vigilant.<\/p>\n

\u201cZimbabweans must now convene,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSilence is not an option when the supreme law of the land is at stake.\u201d<\/p>\n

Government critic Jealousy Mawarire said Zimbabwe could not afford to follow the path of regional counterparts, where authoritarian amendments and electoral manipulation have eroded citizens\u2019 rights and destabilised governance.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have no problem with any constitutional changes with far-reaching implications for the way a president is elected.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the changes are coming from the people and for the people, then put it to the people to decide through a referendum, period!\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Africa\u2019s democratic trajectory in 2025 has been marked by both resilience and backsliding.<\/p>\n

While the 2024 \u201celectoral super cycle\u201d saw 13 countries hold elections with peaceful transitions in Botswana, Liberia, Ghana, Senegal and South Africa, widespread dissatisfaction with governance persisted.<\/p>\n

In 2025, nine more countries held elections, producing mixed outcomes.<\/p>\n

In Cameroon, President Paul Biya (92) secured an eighth term amid low turnout, media suppression and violent post-election crackdowns.<\/p>\n

Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau experienced coups, with military juntas suspending democratic institutions, while the Central African Republic saw opposition boycotts and voter intimidation as President Faustin-Archange Touade\u0301ra secured a third term after removing term limits.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Zimbabwe<\/span> Follow Africa-Press<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. ZIMBABWE\u2019S democracy faces a critical test as the government prepares a sweeping constitutional overhaul that could fundamentally reshape the nation\u2019s political landscape and strip citizens of key democratic rights. Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi on Tuesday presented a memorandum to Cabinet outlining the proposed Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment Bill, 2026, which includes plans […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":115167,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,8,35,10,2715],"tags":[19],"class_list":["post-115168","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-head-lines","category-homepage-english","category-parties","category-to-homepage","tag-zimbabwe"],"yoast_head":"\nDemocracy Under Attack as Zanu PF Constitutional Coup - zimbabwe<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"ZIMBABWE\u2019S democracy faces a critical test as the government prepares a sweeping constitutional overhaul that could fund ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zimbabwe\/all-news\/democracy-under-attack-as-zanu-pf-constitutional-coup\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Democracy Under Attack as Zanu PF Constitutional Coup\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"ZIMBABWE\u2019S democracy faces a critical test as the government prepares a sweeping constitutional overhaul that could fund ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zimbabwe\/all-news\/democracy-under-attack-as-zanu-pf-constitutional-coup\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"zimbabwe\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-02-12T21:31:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-12T23:38:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/zimbabwe\/sites\/14\/2026\/02\/sm_1770939507.023463.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"514\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zimbabwe\/all-news\/democracy-under-attack-as-zanu-pf-constitutional-coup#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zimbabwe\/all-news\/democracy-under-attack-as-zanu-pf-constitutional-coup\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zimbabwe\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"Democracy Under Attack as Zanu PF Constitutional Coup\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-12T21:31:19+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-12T23:38:55+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zimbabwe\/all-news\/democracy-under-attack-as-zanu-pf-constitutional-coup\"},\"wordCount\":693,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zimbabwe\/all-news\/democracy-under-attack-as-zanu-pf-constitutional-coup#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/zimbabwe\/sites\/14\/2026\/02\/sm_1770939507.023463.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Zimbabwe\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"head lines\",\"homepage-english\",\"parties\",\"to-homepage\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zimbabwe\/all-news\/democracy-under-attack-as-zanu-pf-constitutional-coup#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zimbabwe\/all-news\/democracy-under-attack-as-zanu-pf-constitutional-coup\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zimbabwe\/all-news\/democracy-under-attack-as-zanu-pf-constitutional-coup\",\"name\":\"Democracy Under Attack as Zanu PF Constitutional Coup - 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