Zimbabwe Diaspora Group Calls for Parliamentary Walkout Over Constitutional Amendment Bill
The Zimbabwe Diaspora Vote Initiative is calling for "people-centered" legislators to withdraw from parliamentary proceedings if the Speaker attempts to bypass a national referendum on term limit extensions.
Harry Taruva 
Seville Grove - The Zimbabwe Diaspora Vote Initiative (ZDVI), a leading diaspora advocacy group has called on Zimbabwean legislators to stage a mass walkout of Parliament, labeling the current attempt to amend the national constitution without a public referendum as an illegal and unprocedural maneuver.
In a media release issued from Australia on Sunday, March 8, the Zimbabwe Diaspora Vote Initiative reiterated its firm stance that any legislative changes extending the time a person may occupy public office must be subjected to a direct vote by the citizens.
The group expressed anguish over what it described as a brutal assault on civilians who have voiced opposition to the Zimbabwe Constitutional Amendment Number 3 Bill, which critics argue is being pushed through in violation of the country's supreme law.
The advocacy group further highlighted its concern regarding a self-proclaimed organization known as "Presidential Mafia 4ED."
The Initiative criticized the lack of official condemnation from the Presidency regarding the group’s name and activities, while simultaneously calling upon the Zimbabwe Republic Police to arrest individuals identified in viral videos associated with the "Mafia" group.
The statement issued a warning to sitting Members of Parliament, suggesting that those who participate in a vote on the Bill without a referendum requirement are "either functionally illiterate or a sell-outs" who have betrayed the constitutional mandate.
The Initiative argued that progressive legislators must demand the Bill be revised to accommodate a referendum as soon as debate opens, and should the Speaker of Parliament refuse, these representatives must withdraw from the process entirely to avoid legitimising an illegal act.
The Diaspora Initiative also publicly sought clarification from the ZANU PF Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Gutu South, Honourable Pupurai Togarepi who said the ZDVI was "still in the Mugabe era" in a recent email.
According to the release, the legislator has refused to explain the intent behind his remarks, prompting the group to call on the media to hold elected officials accountable for their communication with civic organizations.
With the momentum for constitutional changes gathering pace in Harare, the Diaspora Vote Initiative maintains that the "people’s mood" is being ignored by authorities intent on bypassing established democratic safeguards.
The group’s Secretary for Information and Publicity, Padmore Kufa, emphasized that the current proceedings represent a critical juncture for the integrity of the Zimbabwean "august house."
