Zimbabwe: Crackdown on Critics of Proposed Term Extension for Mnangagwa

Harare – Zimbabwean authorities are facing accusations of escalating a crackdown on dissent as the ruling ZANU-PF party pushes for a constitutional amendment that would extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term in office. The proposed changes, which would extend presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years, effectively postponing elections from 2028 to 2030, have sparked significant opposition and a corresponding increase in reported intimidation and violence against critics.

The move follows a controversial resolution within ZANU-PF and the subsequent gazetting of Constitutional Amendment No. 3 on February 16, 2026. Under the current constitution, President Mnangagwa is scheduled to leave office in 2028 after completing two five-year terms.

“Zimbabwe’s leaders should demonstrate their commitment to the rule of law by respecting the country’s constitution and international human rights obligations for freedom of expression and assembly,” said Idriss Ali Nassah, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Civil society, legal experts, and ordinary people should be allowed to peacefully express their views without fear.”

Recent weeks have seen a series of incidents reported involving alleged threats, harassment, and physical assaults against individuals opposing the amendment. On March 1, 2026, armed men reportedly stormed the offices of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), an opposition political group, in Harare. According to Lovemore Madhuku, leader of the NCA and a prominent lawyer, between five and ten men wearing balaclavas assaulted members who were gathered for a meeting, injuring him in the process.

Madhuku alleges the assailants accused him of “wanting to create problems in the country” and questioned his opposition to the bill. He claims the men identified themselves as police officers and used police-issue batons to beat him on his back, head, and face. Following the attack, the men reportedly left in two unmarked vehicles accompanied by two Zimbabwe Republic Police vehicles. A police statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, denied involvement in the alleged incident, stating that officers “were not involved” and that the police were “keen to know what actually transpired.”

The crackdown extends beyond physical violence. The Constitutional Defenders Forum, a civil society group dedicated to defending Zimbabwe’s constitution, reported receiving a letter from police on February 27, 2026, ordering them to halt an upcoming meeting, citing non-compliance with the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act. The Forum maintains it had provided the required notice, as stipulated by the Act, which requires seven days’ notice for processions and demonstrations and five days for public meetings.

Critics argue that the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act is frequently and selectively used to suppress civil society and opposition activities. On March 5, 2026, the Forum posted a video on social media, geolocated to the Harare law offices of Tendai Biti, the Forum leader, showing armed police officers surrounding the building. The Forum reported that armed men besieged the premises, assaulted individuals inside, and issued death threats against Biti. Police acknowledged deploying officers to Biti’s offices “for the maintenance of law and order” but denied the assault allegations. Biti stated that authorities were attempting to “unleash violence and place the country under a state of siege” to silence dissenting voices.

Further illustrating the escalating tensions, the offices of the Southern African Political Economy Series (SAPES) Trust in Harare were reportedly damaged in a suspected arson attack on October 28, 2025. The assailants allegedly abducted the night guard and locked the property’s gates before fleeing. The attack occurred shortly before SAPES was scheduled to host a dialogue involving civil society and opposition leaders to discuss ZANU-PF’s efforts to extend President Mnangagwa’s term. Shortly after, a similar event in Bulawayo was reportedly shut down by police and suspected ZANU-PF supporters.

Human Rights Watch is calling for a thorough investigation into all alleged attacks and the prosecution of those responsible, including any members of the security forces involved. The organization also emphasizes the need for security force reform to ensure professionalism and adherence to the law.

Zimbabwe is obligated to uphold the rights to freedom of expression and assembly as enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, both of which the country has ratified. Nassah stressed that members of civil society and the political opposition should be allowed to operate and mobilize freely without fear of reprisal. “Constitutional amendments need to be debated fairly and openly, without fear of repression,” he said.

The proposed constitutional amendment and the subsequent crackdown raise concerns about the future of democratic governance in Zimbabwe, a nation with a history of political instability and contested elections. The situation is being closely watched by regional and international observers, who fear a further erosion of civil liberties and a deepening of the country’s political crisis.