In the interview, Air Marshal (Rtd) Henry Muchena discusses Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 and the concerns raised by a group of retired senior military officers. Here are the key points from the discussion:
- Deviation from Party Resolution: The original ZANU-PF resolution was specifically to explore the extension of the presidential term. However, the drafting team allegedly exceeded this mandate by proposing a “host of other amendments” that changed the context of the resolution [01:03].
- Constitutional Legitimacy: Muchena emphasizes that the 2013 Constitution is the first truly Zimbabwean-led constitution, unlike previous versions (1979 and 1987) which were “British induced” or negotiated by leadership rather than the people [03:52].
- Mandatory Referendum: He argues that certain chapters of the constitution, specifically Chapter 4, require the people’s consent through a referendum for any amendments. He believes the current drafting team is attempting to bypass this constitutional requirement [04:32].
- Influence of “Unelected” Leaders: There is a concern regarding a “new crop” of leadership within ZANU-PF who were not elected but co-opted. Muchena suggests these individuals are using money and influence to change party principles and are the primary drivers behind the broad constitutional changes [05:43].
- Threat to Defense Force Mandate: The proposed amendments allegedly seek to remove or alter Sections 211 and 212 of the constitution, which mandate the Defense Forces to defend the constitution. Muchena views this as an attempt to manipulate the constitutional process by removing oversight [08:18].
- Criticism of the Consultative Process: The current process is described as not being truly encompassing of the people. Muchena believes that without a referendum or genuine public consultation, the bill lacks legitimacy and violates the standing constitution [12:16].
- Call for Principle: While not explicitly for or against the term extension itself, Muchena insists that any such change must follow the legal authority of the people as defined in the current constitution [11:42].
- Security Concerns: He suggests that if the political party itself becomes a “security threat” by undermining the constitution, the Defense Forces have an obligation to advise accordingly [08:53].
 Mashingaidze is a colleague and the difference of opinion can not be used to separate him
- All generals were not consulted by him as we are all ZANLA
