Harare — Zimbabwe’s main opposition party has effectively dissolved its role as a parliamentary check on the executive, instructing all 70 of its legislators to actively campaign for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s controversial bid to extend his term of office beyond the constitutionally mandated 2028 limit.

In a sweeping resolution passed at an emergency Citizens Coalition for Change parliamentary caucus meeting on Thursday, the party ordered every MP and councillor to return to their constituencies and sell Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3—a move critics say transforms the opposition into an auxiliary arm of the Zanu-PF government.

The resolution, signed by CCC Chief Whip, Charles Moyo, declares the party’s full “support in principle” for the Bill, which seeks to alter the life of Parliament, extend the president’s tenure, and overhaul electoral management. It further directs legislators to convene ward meetings and submit written reports by 1 March demonstrating public backing for the changes.

“No amount of negativity from our erstwhile nemesis can stop the People’s Parliamentary representatives from diligently exercising their mandate,” the document reads.

The phrase “erstwhile nemesis”—referring to Zanu-PF—has triggered alarm among political analysts, who say the CCC has now formally abandoned any pretence of opposition.

“This is not cooperation. This is absorption,” said a political analyst on social media. . “An opposition that campaigns for the ruling party’s constitutional coup has ceased to be opposition. They are now a public relations firm for State House.”

The resolution makes no mention of rejecting or amending the Bill. Instead, it frames the extension of Mnangagwa’s tenure as a “transitional process” that should be “buttressed by the consummation of a Government of National Consensus.” It calls for the inclusion of church, youth, business, and women’s groups—but omits any reference to competitive elections.

CCC interim leadership has not denied that the resolution was passed without a dissenting vote. The party’s official communication frames the move as patriotic consensus-building.

“The Bill correctly captures changes which are necessary for the building of national consensus amongst our people, healing divisions of the past, and establishing a basis for permanent political, invariably, economic stability,” the resolution reads.

But constitutional lawyer Thabani Mpofu is on record saying that Parliament ceases to be parliament if it endorses the 2030 agenda.

He said:

It is fraudulent for ZANU–PF to convert a five‑year mandate into seven years. Even by ZEC’s own contested figures, some five million people voted in 2026; not counting those who were denied ballot papers. On what principle do 200 ‘elected’ legislators have the right to overturn the expressed will of five million voters? The power to amend the constitution cannot reasonably be read to authorize such a subversion. The real issue is the scope of Parliament’s amendment powers: they do not extend to undermining the text and spirit of the constitution. Parliament is not parliament Almighty!

Analysts described the move by CCC as the language of a government caucus, not an opposition one.

The development follows months of speculation that the CCC leadership has been co-opted following a brutal state crackdown that saw dozens of its members abducted, tortured, or forced into exile. Thursday’s resolution suggests that resistance, at the parliamentary level, has now been fully neutralised.

“The opposition is no longer opposition. What we are seeing is the complete normalisation of one-party rule through opposition consent. The CCC has voted itself out of a job,” said Mike Baulen from Chitungwiza.