HARARE — Vice-President and retired army general Constantino Chiwenga has warned ZANU-PF MPs and central committee members not to celebrate the passage of Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3) prematurely, party sources say, because the controversial legislation has not yet been signed into law.
The warning comes as ruling-party legislators and officials have been publicly hailing CAB3’s clearance through both houses of Parliament. Permanent Secretary Nick Mangwana described the bipartisan support as evidence of Zimbabwe’s democratic maturity, while ZANU-PF structures have treated the Senate vote as a decisive victory for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s “2030 agenda.”
Chiwenga, who has been the most prominent internal opponent of CAB3, is said to have told allies that premature celebration ignores both the constitutional process still ahead and the legal challenges mounting against the Bill.
Why the victory lap may be too early
CAB3 cleared the National Assembly on 18 June 2026 by 216 votes to 42, passed the Senate on 24 June by 75 votes to 4, and returned to the lower house on 30 June, where MPs adopted the Senate’s amendments by 226 votes to 41.
That parliamentary marathon is not the end of the road. The Bill is now in what officials describe as a legal cleansing phase, with parliamentary legal officers and the Attorney-General’s office compiling clean copies bound with formal constitutional certificates signed by the Speaker of the National Assembly and the President of the Senate.
Once the Bill is physically transmitted to the Office of the President, Section 131(6) of the Constitution gives Mnangagwa exactly 21 days to assent and sign it, or refer it back to Parliament if he has constitutional reservations. Enactment only occurs after publication in an extraordinary Government Gazette — a step analysts expect could come by late July 2026 if the President signs.
Chiwenga’s message to the party
According to reports circulating within ZANU-PF, Chiwenga cautioned central committee members and MPs who back CAB3 that celebrating now risks embarrassment if the Bill is blocked, referred back, or struck down in court.
The Vice-President has long opposed the amendments, arguing that they undermine the sacrifices of the liberation struggle and deny ordinary Zimbabweans their right to vote directly for a president. His camp views CAB3 as a manoeuvre to extend Mnangagwa’s rule, postpone elections due in 2028 until 2030, and replace direct presidential elections with a parliamentary vote.
By urging restraint, Chiwenga is also signalling that the internal fight is far from over — even as Mnangagwa’s allies present Parliament’s vote as a fait accompli.
Legal storms still brewing
Opposition leaders have vowed to keep fighting CAB3 through the courts and public mobilisation. Constitutional law expert Lovemore Madhuku said Parliament’s approval would not end resistance, while Defend the Constitution Platform leader Jameson Timba insisted the struggle would continue under Section 59 of the Constitution.
War veteran Reuben Zulu has already filed an urgent High Court application seeking to halt processing of the Bill, arguing that Parliament’s approval was “contaminated” by allegations of corruption and unlawful inducements offered to MPs. Lawyers also maintain that key provisions may violate Section 328(7), which requires a national referendum before any amendment extending term limits can benefit an incumbent officeholder.
A divided celebration
Outside ZANU-PF’s celebratory mood, political analysts say Chiwenga’s warning exposes the fault line that CAB3 has reopened inside the ruling party. MPs aligned with Mnangagwa want to move quickly to assent and implementation. Those closer to Chiwenga believe the Bill could still be stopped — or at least that claiming victory now is politically reckless.
For Zimbabweans watching from the sidelines, the message is stark: Parliament has spoken, but CAB3 is not yet law. Until the President signs, the courts rule, and the Gazette publishes, Chiwenga’s advice to his party is simple — do not celebrate too soon.
Sources: Gambakwe Media; NewZimbabwe.com; Newsday Zimbabwe; Parliament of Zimbabwe.
