ADVOCACY group, the National Democratic Working Group (NDWG), has vowed to stage demonstrations at Zimbabwean embassies worldwide in protest against the proposed Constitutional Amendment No 3 Bill.
The Bill seeks to defer elections by two years through the introduction of a seven-year electoral cycle from the current five-year one, while also transferring the power to elect the President from citizens to legislators.
The NDWG recently picketed at the Zimbabwean embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, where scores of its supporters marched, sang while holding placards denouncing the Bill as a constitutional capture designed to benefit a select few.
Speaking to NewsDay, NDWG national spokesperson Isaya Ndawana said the group would intensify demonstrations globally.
“We are working with progressive forces from various countries to intensify the programme of demonstrations. There will be a bigger demonstration in South Africa soon, that will involve everyone who wants democracy,” he said.
“We call on every citizen to refuse this undemocratic route which Zanu PF wants to undertake to extend the term of office for President Emmerson Mnangagwa by two years, which cascades to current office bearers of council, Parliament and Senate.
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“The Constitution is the supreme law for our country and we cannot let it sink low, drowning through a few elitists of Zanu PF and compromised Parliament, which is aligning with Amendment No 3 Bill to advance the interests of those in power at the expense of the suffering majority.”
Ndawana said NDWG would support all efforts to defend the Constitution.
“We support any pressure group fighting against the extension of the presidential term. We are mobilising to stop the 2030 agenda, which has effectively become a rallying call for Zanu PF, while those opposing Amendment No 3 Bill are being blocked from exercising their right to assemble,” he said.
“Zimbabwe’s democracy is far from being realised and if the ruling party truly has public support for these changes, why not subject them to a referendum?”
The planned global protests come amid growing reports of abductions and enforced disappearances, with critics alleging a coordinated crackdown on dissent as the government pushes for controversial constitutional changes that could extend President Mnangagwa’s rule.
Zanu PF director for information Farai Marapira dismissed allegations of abductions, accusing opposition groups and watchdogs of attempting to tarnish the ruling party’s image.
“We have total belief in the capacity of the police to maintain law and order. How can public consultations devolve into violence when they are meant to gather opinions?” he asked rhetirucally.
“That is an absurd premise driven by misinformation from enemies of democracy.
“Those claiming abductions have no basis to define themselves as watchdogs.”
Marapira described the claims as unfounded smear campaigns that do not resonate with the public, which is now “wiser and cognisant of the many formats and ways malicious characters are abusing the media space to create and spread falsehoods”.
However, analysts and human rights defenders have urged Parliament to ensure transparency during public hearings on the Bill.
Political analyst Ruben Tendai Mbofana said the alleged abductions reflected a shrinking civic space.
“These incidents are not happening in isolation. They coincide with a deliberately restricted consultation process, where citizens and civil society groups are denied meaningful participation,” he said.
“Meetings are disrupted, organisers intimidated and some participants abducted, creating an environment where dissent is effectively criminalised.”
Mbofana called for stronger safeguards for judicial independence and impartial investigation.
“Only by protecting civic participation and ensuring independent investigations can Zimbabwe demonstrate that its Constitution and justice system are capable of holding perpetrators accountable, regardless of political affiliation,” he said.
Opposition Labour, Economists and African Democrats president Linda Masarira said Parliament should strengthen its oversight role in investigating enforced disappearances.
“Independent prosecutorial authority, well-funded investigative bodies and a Judiciary empowered to enforce accountability are essential,” she said.
“Where State actors are implicated, investigations must be handled by independent institutions with the power to summon officials and preserve evidence. Without credible investigations, impunity will persist.”
Masarira added that the legitimacy of constitutional reform depended not only on legal provisions but also on the broader political environment.
“Zimbabwe must build a governance system where constitutionalism, judicial independence and Press freedom are not contested, but are fundamental pillars of the republic.”