By Correspondent
The Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference (ZCBC) has come out against Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 through a letter delivered to the Parliament of Zimbabwe.
The statement, signed by 5 out of the 8 total Bishops, says “amendments must strengthen rather than weaken democratic safeguards”.
“The ZCBC respectfully submits its observations and objections regarding the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Bill, 2025 (“CAB3”).
“Our Constitution is more than a legal instrument.
“It is a solemn national covenant born out of the sacrifices, aspirations, and sovereign will of the people of Zimbabwe as expressed through the 2013 referendum.
It said the Constitution embodies the principles of constitutional supremacy, separation of powers, accountable governance, protection of rights, and the sovereignty of the people.
“For this reason, constitutional amendments must strengthen rather than weaken democratic safeguards, public confidence in institutions, and the constitutional protections deliberately entrenched by the people of Zimbabwe.
ZCBC added that it is deeply concerned that several provisions of CAB3 undermine foundational constitutional principles.
It said these provisions weaken institutional independence, diminish direct democratic participation, and erode constitutional safeguards against the concentration and abuse of power.
“The Conference therefore respectfully urges Parliament to reject those provisions of the Bill that are inconsistent with constitutional democracy, the sovereignty of the people, and the long-term stability and integrity of Zimbabwe’s constitutional order.
In a direct riposte to term extension manoeuvres without a referendum, it added that the Constitution affirms that all public authority derives from the people of Zimbabwe.
“Democracy is not merely the holding of elections.
“It requires meaningful participation, institutional independence, transparency, constitutional fidelity, and respect for the dignity of every citizen.
The ZCBC said its involvement in the controversial issue doesn’t make it a political entity.
“The Catholic Church in Zimbabwe participates in this constitutional process not as a political actor, but as a moral and civic voice concerned with the protection of human dignity, constitutionalism, democratic participation, justice, accountability, and the common good.
“Constitutional questions are not merely technical legal matters; they shape the moral and institutional foundations upon which national life rests.
Government Adamantly Opposed to a Referendum
However, the calls for a referendum echoed by the ZCBC have already been blocked by various government voices.
Recently, Attorney General Virginia Mabhiza dismissed the idea as not legally supported.
She said the proposed amendments require no such thing, as they don’t fall under the entrenched sections, which demand a referendum.
Mabhiza, who was speaking to journalists, said the calls for a referendum have no legal basis.
“I said it before, and I want to insist, Section 328(6) is deliberate and precise in that it reserves the ultimate democratic veto, the national referendum, for only three narrowly defined categories of amendment.
“The constitutional basis for proceeding without a referendum is neither an option nor a loophole; section 328(6) is very clear on this aspect.
“Any insistence on a referendum, given the current scenario, is devoid of any meaningful legal basis and logic.
“It is an unconstitutional demand,” she said.
According to Mabiza’s legal interpretation, the constitution restricts the use of a referendum to very narrow parameters.
A referendum is only legally required, she says, if a bill seeks to amend Chapter 4 (Declaration of Rights), Chapter 16 (Agricultural Land), or Section 328 itself (which governs the amendment process).
Because CAB3 does not touch these three protected segments, it only requires a two-thirds majority in parliament to pass, rather than public approval via a referendum.
However, other voices argue that since the 2013 constitution was built on a nationwide referendum, any amendment to it should also involve a referendum.
