Zimbabwean police have intensified their crackdown on dissent following the arrest of prominent opposition politician and Constitutional Defenders Forum (CDF) convener Tendai Biti, amid growing tensions over proposed changes to the country’s founding document.
Biti, a former finance minister and veteran activist, was detained by authorities on Friday while attending a private meeting in the central business district of Mutare. Sources indicate the gathering was part of a broader mobilisation effort to oppose the controversial Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3, which critics argue will centralise power and undermine democratic checks and balances.
Alongside Biti, police arrested journalist Fanuel Chinowaita, politician Morgan Ncube, and lawyer Nyasha Gerald. All four were taken into custody at Mutare Central Police Station, where they remained as of late yesterday. Despite their detention, authorities have yet to formally disclose the charges against them, a move that legal experts say points to a pattern of arbitrary arrests.
Police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said they had no received reports about Biti’s detention.
"We have not received any report about Biti's arrest,”Nyathi said.
“Otherwise, his relatives must provide proof of his arrest.”
However, the incident has already sparked a wave of condemnation from across the political spectrum and civil society.
Jameson Timba, convener of the Defend the Constitution Platform (DCP), described the arrests as a “direct assault on the constitutional order”. In a strongly worded statement, Timba expressed “unequivocal solidarity” with the detainees, warning that the state was increasingly using law enforcement to stifle legitimate political expression.
- Fresh demolitions hit Mbare
- Police accused of killing Budiriro man
- Fresh demolitions hit Mbare
- Police accused of killing Budiriro man
Keep Reading
“Section 67 of the constitution guarantees every Zimbabwean the right to participate in political processes, including campaigning on public issues,” Timba said. “Section 59 further guarantees the right to demonstrate, petition, and engage others peacefully. To arrest citizens for engaging fellow Zimbabweans on a matter as fundamental as constitutional change is to criminalise citizenship itself”.
The DCP has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the group, calling for transparency from the Zimbabwe Republic Police regarding the legal grounds for the operation.
The arrests highlight what critics describe as a dual-standard in the application of the law. While opposition figures and civil society members face harassment, members of the ruling Zanu PF party have reportedly been holding both public and private meetings in support of the Bill without any police interference.
This latest incident is part of a broader atmosphere of repression. In recent weeks, Biti’s offices have been under constant police surveillance, with authorities allegedly monitoring and disrupting activities linked to the CDF. Members of the forum have also reported frequent harassment and intimidation.
The crackdown has not been limited to Biti’s circle. Constitutional lawyer Lovemore Madhuku and members of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) were recently assaulted during their own campaigns against the Bill. Furthermore, civil society groups have raised the alarm over a rise in alleged abductions and targeted attacks against figures critical of the proposed changes.
The timing of the arrests is particularly sensitive, as parliamentary consultation processes on Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 are scheduled to begin this week. Observers argue that the state is engaged in a systematic effort to stifle public debate and silence opposition voices before these consultations take place.
As the government pushes forward with its legislative agenda, the arrest of Biti and his colleagues serves as a stark reminder of the narrowing space for political discourse in Zimbabwe. For now, the focus remains on Mutare Central, where the legal community and human rights defenders await the next move from the authorities.
