HARARE, May 27 (NewsDay Live) — Self-imposed Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu has signaled that his faction could back the controversial Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3), but warned that support for the proposed law “cannot be a blank cheque.”
In a statement issued Tuesday through interim spokesperson Nqobizitha Mlilo, the Tshabangu-led CCC faction said it supported “the spirit and intent” of the Bill, but wanted negotiations and concessions from ZANU-PF before giving final backing in Parliament.
“Our support for the Bill is not, and can never be a blank cheque,” Mlilo said.
“In the intervening period, we have reached out to our counterparts in Zanu PF, engaged them and proposed certain adjustments to both wording and substance of the Bill.”
The faction, however, said the Bill in its current form lacked clarity and appeared tailored to advance partisan political interests.
“Presently, the Bill reads more like a manuscript for the implementation of Resolution Number One adopted at the 21st Zanu PF Annual National People’s Conference held in Bulawayo on October 26, 2024,” Mlilo said.
Keep Reading
- Chamisa party defiant after ban
- Village Rhapsody: How Zimbabwe can improve governance
- News in depth: Partisan police force persecutes opposition, shields Zanu PF rogue elements
- Chamisa chilling death threat bishop defiant
“This is a cause of serious concern. Our national interests are beyond partisan politics.”
Tshabangu also hinted at demands for a broader political settlement tied to the Bill’s passage, saying the constitutional amendments “must lead to the establishment of a Government of National Consensus.”
The remarks are likely to intensify debate around CAB3, which has already triggered political tensions over fears it could reshape Zimbabwe’s constitutional order in favor of the ruling party.
Tshabangu controls a significant bloc of legislators in both the National Assembly and Senate after wresting control of the CCC parliamentary structures from former party leader Nelson Chamisa.