THE Election Resource Centre Africa (ERC Africa) has added its voice to growing concerns over public hearings on the proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill No 3 (CAB3), saying the process was conducted in a tense and polarised environment that undermined meaningful citizen participation.
The election watchdog says its observation of the consultations found low genuine turnout, restricted participation, and instances of intimidation and procedural irregularities, raising questions about whether the hearings met constitutional and international standards for public consultation.
ERC Africa said while Parliament made an effort to ensure transparency during consultations held from March 30 to April 2, several structural and political challenges compromised the credibility of the process.
The organisation deployed 44 observers across 65 districts, covering 68% of the hearing venues and supplemented its findings with reports from civil society organisations, journalists and media monitoring.
According to the report, although some venues appeared crowded, actual participation was significantly low when measured against population size.
“In Harare and Mutare, turnout was estimated at just 0,4% of the district population,” the report noted, adding that limited venue capacity created a misleading impression of high engagement.
The environment at many venues was described as hostile and restrictive, with reports of intimidation, violence and coercion discouraging citizens from freely expressing their views.
ERC Africa said in about 77% of observed hearings, participants were not given adequate opportunity to contribute.
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The report raised concern over the presence of “unofficial marshals” controlling access to venues in nearly half of the observed locations, allegedly blocking individuals perceived to be against the Bill.
There were also reports of people being transported from outside districts to attend hearings, raising questions about the authenticity and representativeness of the process.
“These practices risk distorting the consultative process by amplifying organised voices at the expense of local communities,” the report stated.
Stakeholders also accused authorities of selectively applying the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act, with some civic groups reportedly barred from holding meetings while others operated freely.
ERC Africa documented incidents of harassment and obstruction of journalists, particularly in Harare, including the deletion of recorded material. The organisation warned that such actions threaten transparency and accountability if left unaddressed.
It also cited cases of post-hearing victimisation of participants, further weakening public confidence in the process.
The Bill proposes sweeping reforms, including extending presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years, changing the presidential election system from a direct vote to a parliamentary process and transferring voter registration functions from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to the registrar-general.
Other provisions include increased Executive control over judicial appointments, the repeal of key commissions such as the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission and the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, and allowing traditional leaders to participate in partisan politics.
ERC Africa said the scale of the proposed changes partly explains the heightened public interest and polarisation observed during the hearings.
The organisation concluded that the hearings fell short of constitutional and international standards for participatory law-making. It warned that without reforms, the process risks being viewed as a mere formality rather than a genuine platform for democratic engagement.
ERC Africa called on Parliament to conduct additional hearings before the consultation deadline of May 17, decentralise outreach to ward level and expand channels for public submissions.
It also urged government and law enforcement agencies to safeguard freedoms of expression and assembly and to act decisively against cases of intimidation and violence.
“The credibility of the process ultimately rests on genuine, inclusive and open engagement — standards that were not consistently realised,” the report said.
