Professor Lovemore Madhuku has filed an application at the Constitutional Court on behalf of six war veterans challenging the legality of Zimbabwe’s proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill (No. 3) of 2026. The Bill, which seeks to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term to 2030 and transfer the right to elect the president from citizens to Members of Parliament, has already been tabled in Cabinet, adopted, and gazetted.
In the court papers seen by ZiGoats.com, Madhuku argues that President Mnangagwa failed to fulfill key constitutional obligations in presiding over Cabinet deliberations and approving the Bill. The applicants seek an order declaring Cabinet’s approval of the amendment null and void and to interdict the President from assenting to the draft law.
The draft order requests the Constitutional Court to:
1. Declare that the President failed to uphold sections 90(1), 90(2)(b), and 196(2) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, 2013.
2. Nullify all Cabinet deliberations and approval processes regarding Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3.
3. Confirm that any amendment or mechanism aimed at extending the President’s tenure or conferring benefits to incumbents prior to the amendment is invalid under section 328(7) of the Constitution.
4. Interdict the President from signing, assenting, or giving executive effect to the Bill in any manner inconsistent with the Constitution.
5. Make no order as to costs.
Madhuku’s application, brought under section 167(2)(d) of the Constitution and Rule 32(1) of the Constitutional Court Rules, 2025, argues that the Bill represents a profound departure from constitutional obligations, including the duty to respect the Constitution as the supreme law, uphold the ideals of the liberation struggle, and avoid conflicts between public duties and personal interests.
This legal challenge comes amid growing concerns over the proposed amendments, which critics argue undermine participatory democracy by removing the electorate’s direct role in choosing the nation’s leader. War veterans, through Madhuku, contend that extending the President’s term and shifting electoral powers to Parliament without proper safeguards violates constitutional supremacy and democratic principles.
The Constitutional Court will now consider the application, which could have far-reaching consequences for Zimbabwe’s governance, electoral integrity, and the future of the presidency.
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