By Hopewell Chin’ono
A group of retired Zimbabwean military generals and former senior civil servants has publicly accused President Emmerson Mnangagwa of being the principal architect and beneficiary of Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3), warning that the proposed changes serve narrow political interests rather than the national interest.
In a statement issued on today in Harare and signed by retired Air Marshal Henry Muchena on behalf of the group, the former military and civil service officials said recent meetings they held with President Mnangagwa had failed to address their concerns over the Bill.
They claimed the President dismissed their objections by saying, “whoever wins, wins,” a response they said reflected contempt for constitutional concerns raised by citizens and party members.
The group reiterated its call for a national referendum on the proposed amendments and added that the parliamentary consultation process was manipulated and did not reflect the will of the people. They also expressed concern over ongoing court challenges to the Bill and urged the judiciary to uphold its constitutional responsibilities.
In some of the most explosive claims contained in the statement, the retired officials alleged that financial incentives, including vehicle allocations and cash payments, had been used to secure support for CAB3.
They further claimed that a US$31 million fund had been set aside to influence parliamentary votes in favour of the Bill.
The retired officials warned Members of Parliament against supporting the proposed amendments, arguing that extending presidential and parliamentary terms without voter approval would constitute a violation of the Constitution.
They pledged to continue opposing CAB3 through legal, constitutional, and civic means.
I have posted the full PDF statement on my Telegram channel at the link below;
https://t.me/informationhubzimbabwe
