A group of six liberation war veterans has issued a stringent 72-hour ultimatum to the Zimbabwean Parliament, demanding an immediate halt to the Constitution Amendment No 3 Bill (CAB 3). The veterans accuse Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda and Senate President Mabel Chinomona of severe constitutional violations, disregarding ongoing court processes, and presiding over a legislative procedure allegedly tainted by corruption. The controversial Bill, which seeks to extend the presidential and parliamentary terms, has already passed through both the Senate and the Lower House and now awaits presidential assent.
In an open letter addressed to the parliamentary leaders, the war veterans, including Reuben Zulu and Godfrey Gurira, insisted on the suspension of all CAB 3 proceedings and its withdrawal from further consideration. They strongly cautioned that the proposed constitutional changes are “fundamentally flawed, substantively unconstitutional and procedurally fraudulent.” This latest intervention follows a previous attempt by the same group to stop the amendment process through the Constitutional Court, an application that was dismissed on May 20, 2026, with the court referring it to lower courts.
Key Players Involved
- Liberation War Veterans: A group of six, including Reuben Zulu, Godfrey Gurira, Shoorai Nyamangodo, Joseph Chinyangare, Dogmore Knowledge Ndiya, and Joseph Chinguwa, who issued the ultimatum.
- Jacob Mudenda: Speaker of the National Assembly, accused by the veterans of constitutional violations.
- Mabel Chinomona: Senate President, also accused of constitutional violations and presiding over a tainted process.
- President Emmerson Mnangagwa: The constitutional amendment is seen as benefiting his tenure, a point raised in the veterans’ previous court application.
Event Timeline
- May 20, 2026: Constitutional Court dismisses the war veterans’ application to stop the amendment process, referring it to lower courts.
- June 29, 2026, 05:04 AM UTC (7:04 AM Zimbabwe time): Liberation war veterans issue a 72-hour ultimatum to Parliament regarding the Constitution Amendment No 3 Bill.
