Madhuku Commends Chamisa Security Intervention as Opposition Rallies Against CAB3 Amid Rising Tensions
Zimbabwe’s constitutional standoff deepened as public hearings on Amendment Bill No. 3 descended into chaos, with NCA leader Lovemore Madhuku escorted out under Nelson Chamisa’s security protection. The incident, alongside assaults on activists, has fueled opposition unity against CAB3, a bill critics say erodes democratic safeguards. Civic groups and political leaders demand a referendum, warning that the amendment threatens Zimbabwe’s constitutional covenant and democratic trajectory.
Dumisani Ndlovu 
Harare - An unexpected security intervention by personnel loyal to opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has emerged as a symbolic flashpoint in Zimbabwe’s deepening constitutional crisis.
National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) leader, Professor Lovemore Madhuku, revealed that he was forced to flee public hearings on the controversial Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3) under the protection of Mr. Chamisa’s security team.
The incident occurred at the City Sports Centre in Harare, where proceedings descended into violence and disorder.
Professor Madhuku, a veteran constitutional law expert and frequent critic of both the ruling party and mainstream opposition, publicly thanked Mr. Chamisa during an interview with the online platform Citizens Voice Network Television, acknowledging that the intervention was critical to his physical safety.
"I am grateful to Nelson Chamisa for the security support I received from his team," Professor Madhuku stated, describing a volatile environment where mounting tensions and reports of intimidation made a standard exit impossible.
The security collaboration is notable given the historically fragmented nature of Zimbabwe’s opposition politics.
It occurred against a backdrop of escalating hostilities at the hearings, which aim to gather public opinion on a bill that critics say will erode democratic safeguards and centralise executive authority.
Observers at the City Sports Centre reported that rowdy groups, suspected to be aligned with the ruling ZANU PF party, systematically disrupted the proceedings, targeting prominent dissenting voices.
During the chaos, human rights lawyer Doug Coltart was reportedly assaulted and robbed of his mobile phone, while several journalists were harassed and forced to delete footage of the violence.
The sight of Mr. Chamisa’s security detail escorting Professor Madhuku to safety has since fueled calls for a united front against CAB3.
In a joint statement, opposition formations including the NCA, the Democratic Coalition for Peace (DCP) and the Civic Dialogue Forum (CDF) condemned the "choreographed" nature of the hearings and demanded a national referendum on the proposed changes.
While some critics have previously accused Mr. Chamisa of a lack of clear action against the amendment, this direct intervention suggests a more active, albeit cautious, engagement with the brewing constitutional standoff.
