WATCH LIVE as Gambakwe reveals details that have been published of the Generals that met with Mnangagwa asking him to hold a referendum on CAB3. The article containing the names was published in the independent online newspaper.
Key Dates
- March 12, 2026: Retired Air Vice-Marshal Henry Muchena submitted a petition to Parliament’s offices at Mt Hampden, demanding a national referendum on the Amendment Bill .
- May 2026: The group of nine retired senior officers, led by Muchena, held two consecutive meetings with President Emmerson Mnangagwa .
- June 17, 2026: The Constitutional Court dismissed all legal challenges to the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment No.3 Bill (CAB3) .
Key Figures (The “Nine Rebels”)
The investigation identifies a core group of nine individuals behind the public campaign :
- Air Vice-Marshal (Rtd) Henry Muchena: The public face of the group and a former ZANLA veteran.
- Lt-General (Rtd) Martin Chedondo: The most senior officer by rank and a commander in the November 2017 military coup.
- Major-General (Rtd) Mike Nicholas Sango: Former head of military intelligence.
- Major-General (Rtd) Paul Chima: Former commander of the Mechanised Brigade at Inkomo Barracks.
- Lt-General (Rtd) Chris (John) Mupande: Former Director-General of Policy, Public Relations and International Affairs at the Ministry of Defence.
- Major-General (Rtd) Etherton Shungu: A former commissariat insider with documented links to Muchena.
- Brigadier-General (Rtd) Livingstone Chineka: The organisational bridge to a faction of liberation war veterans aligned with Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga.
- Brigadier-General (Rtd) Richman Ncube: A former military educator with limited public documentation.
- Mr Frederick Mutanda: A civilian businessman and former driver for Joshua Nkomo.
Key Conclusions Reached
- Nature of the Opposition: The campaign against the Amendment Bill was not a broad grassroots movement but was orchestrated by a small, coordinated group of nine specific individuals .
- Motivation: The bloc’s resistance is attributed less to principled constitutional objections and more to a factional power play, likely linked to Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga’s political ambitions and the succession contest within the ruling establishment .
- Legal Outcome: The central demand of the group—a national referendum—was rejected as the Constitutional Court dismissed all legal challenges against CAB3 on 17 June 2026
Journalist Karabo Ngoepe has published.
🇿🇼 Articles on Zimbabwe Politics and Constitution
These pieces, mostly published in 2025 and 2026, provide analysis on Zimbabwe’s constitutional reform, opposition dynamics, and internal political rivalries.
| Article Title | Publication & Date | Key Theme |
|---|---|---|
| The opposition’s war on CA3 is really a war on itself | Sunday Independent, June 2, 2026 | Argues that the opposition to CA3 is disorganized and self-defeating. |
| Zimbabwe’s churches should focus on faith, not politics | Sunday Independent, June 3, 2026 | A critical look at the involvement of churches in political debates. |
| Why defenders of Zimbabwe’s imperial presidency are mistaken about democracy | Sunday Independent, May 23, 2026 | Critiques the defense of the current presidential system and the campaign against CA3. |
| Beyond the 5 year horizon: Rethinking Zimbabwe’s electoral cycle | Bulawayo24 News, May 6, 2026 | Proposes a re-evaluation of Zimbabwe’s electoral cycle in light of CA3. |
| Zimbabwe cannot afford another coup | NewsDay Zimbabwe / The Zimbabwe Independent, Dec 4, 2025 | Argues against military intervention as a solution to political problems. |
| Mnangagwa – Chiwenga rivalry will shape Zimbabwe’s next chapter | Bulawayo24 News, Sep 19, 2025 | Analyzes the political rivalry between President Mnangagwa and VP Chiwenga. |
| Billboards Bring Zimbabwe’s Constitution Back To The Streets | The Zimbabwe Times, June 25, 2026 | Co-authored piece on a public education campaign regarding the constitution. |
👤 About the Journalist
Karabo Ngoepe is a journalist with over 15 years of experience specializing in political and investigative journalism, with a focus on pan-African politics, particularly in the SADC region . He is also a former CEO of Rubicon Media Group in Eswatini .
