Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has raised the red flag over the gazetting of Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment Bill (No. 3) (H.B.1, 2026), describing the proposed constitutional amendments as a serious threat to constitutionalism, democracy, and the rule of law.
In a press statement issued on 18 February 2026, ZLHR said it is “gravely concerned by the gazeting of Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment Bill (No.3) (H.B.1, 2026),” warning that the Bill seeks to introduce “wholesale amendments to the supreme law of the country.”
Parliament gazetted the Bill on 16 February 2026 through an Extraordinary Government Gazette. According to the memorandum accompanying the Bill, the proposed changes are framed as reforms aimed at strengthening democratic institutions and reinforcing constitutional governance.
However, ZLHR disputes that narrative.
The lawyers argue that the proposed amendments, including a parliamentary process for electing the President, extending presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years, restructuring the Senate, dismantling the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, altering judicial appointments, and shifting key electoral functions, risk centralising power. ZLHR said:
“The proposed amendments threaten to erode and fundamentally undermine the core principles of constitutionalism and risk entrenching excessive executive power.”
Of particular concern is the proposed transfer of voter registration and delimitation functions away from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. ZLHR warned that such changes “pose a serious risk to the integrity and credibility of the electoral process in Zimbabwe.”
The organisation also cautioned that changes to judicial appointment procedures “threaten the independence of the judiciary and undermine public confidence in the justice delivery system.”
Quoting the Constitution’s preamble, ZLHR reminded lawmakers that sovereignty rests with the people:
“We, the people of Zimbabwe… commit to democracy, human rights, good governance, and the rule of law.”
ZLHR is now urging the government to
“respect the entrenching 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.”
The organisation further called on authorities to uphold obligations under regional and international human rights instruments, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.
As debate intensifies, the proposed constitutional changes are shaping up to be one of the most consequential governance battles since the adoption of the 2013 Constitution.
Leave a Reply