Zimbabwe Diaspora Group Formally Submits Rejection to Proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill No.3

Mount Hampden, Harare - The Zimbabwe Diaspora Vote Initiative (ZDVI) advocacy group has formally rejected the Zimbabwean government’s proposed Constitutional Amendment Number 3 Bill, labeling several key clauses as a regression of democratic principles and a violation of the 2013 Constitution.

In a 12-page submission delivered to the Clerk of Parliament on March 24, 2026, the Australia-headquartered ZDVI argued that the bill seeks to undermine independent institutions and bypass mandatory public referendums.

The group says it represents a constituency of over four million Zimbabweans living abroad.

The grouping says one of the primary point of contention is Clause 4, which proposes extending the presidential term from five to seven years.

The ZDVI argues that such an amendment qualifies as a term-limit provision change under Section 328 of the Constitution, which legally cannot benefit the incumbent official.

“Seven years in office is too long, especially when incompetent people are elected to office,” the group, through it's Chairperson Rosewiter Mangiroza, states in its submission.

“Shorter terms allow the electorate to get rid of underperforming public officers," they say.

The group also strongly opposed Clause 2, which would transfer the responsibility of voter registration from the independent Zimbabwe Electoral Commission back to the Registrar-General’s Office, an arm of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

ZDVI leadership noted that such a move contradicts the standards of the majority of Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) nations, which utilise independent electoral bodies.

“It is, therefore, inappropriate to transfer voter registration from an Independent Institution to a Non-Independent Institution,” Mangiroza says.

Further objections were raised against plans to allow the President to appoint 10 additional Senators and select judges without public interviews, which the group claims removes transparency from the recruitment process.

Additionally, the ZDVI criticised proposals to allow traditional leaders to engage in partisan politics, arguing that this would compromise their ability to resolve community disputes fairly.

The group also rejected the move to have the President elected by Parliament rather than by a direct popular vote, claiming it violates the "one man, one vote" principle of the liberation struggle.

The ZDVI also says the diaspora must be included in the public hearing process through virtual platforms and be allowed to vote in the referendums they claim are legally required for these amendments to pass.

“The Constitution is the foundation of Zimbabwe’s democracy.

“Any amendments must strengthen,.not weaken,its core principles," Mangiroza says.