OPPOSITITION Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) lawmakers from Matabeleland South have rejected their party’s position to support proposed constitutional amendments to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s tenure.
The CCC led by self-imposed secretary general, Sengezo Tshabangu, held a caucus meeting last week and resolved to support the proposed amendments.
The amendments that have drawn criticism from the opposition, human rights groups and various stakeholders were gazetted on Monday paving the way for 90-day public consultations.
Under the proposed amendments, the president’s tenure, alongside that of lawmakers, will be extended by a further two more years when it constitutionally expires in 2028.
The bill proposes replacing direct presidential elections with a parliamentary vote, dissolving the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec), and restructuring several independent commissions.
Critics have said a referendum is needed for the sweeping changes to pass the constitutional test, but Zanu PF and the government have argued otherwise.
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Last week, Tshabangu’s CCC said it was in support of the proposed amendments to ensure continuity.
But Matabeleland South CCC lawmakers SolaniMoyo, Madalaboy Ndebele, Desire Nkala, SithabisiweMoyo and NomathembaNdlovu said that is not true.
“We did not support any amendment to the constitution that has not been properly introduced and gazetted,” CCC Matabeleland South chairperson Solani Moyo said in a statement.
“We cannot and will not endorse changes to the 2013 constitution that were adopted by the people. We defend the people’s rights and vote.”
Moyo said people did not vote for Mnangagwa’s term extension in the 2023 elections.
“Any suggestion otherwise is false,” he said.
“We will not recognise statements that claim our endorsement when no such resolution was adopted in our presence.”
He added: “Our first duty is to the people who sent us, not to self-appointed factional leaders who bring confusion to the people.
“It is reckless and dangerous for anyone to claim that Members of Parliament have endorsed constitutional change when they have not.”
Tshabangu snatched the CCC from its founding president Nelson Chamisa.
He went on to recall CCC lawmakers, resulting in costly by-elections that saw Zanu PF get a two-thirds majority in Parliament.
Tshabangu’s critics have accused him of being a Zanu PF proxy, a charge he denies.