Tinotenda Hove – Midlands Province has publicly endorsed Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3, with critics raising questions about whether the sweeping reforms are being subjected to sufficient public scrutiny.

Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Owen Ncube, this week declared the province’s full backing of the proposed constitutional changes, describing the Bill as a necessary step toward achieving national development goals.

“Accordingly, the Midlands Province fully supports Constitutional Amendment Bill number 3 to operationalize attainment of Vision 2030 under the wise and pragmatic stewardship of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Cde Dr E.D.

Mnangagwa, among a series of legal reforms designed to bolster constitutional governance, fortify democratic institutions, clearly define institutional mandates, align Zimbabwe’s constitutional framework with established practices in other forward-looking jurisdictions, promote political stability, and enhance the efficiency of the State architecture as approved by Cabinet during its first meeting of the year on 10 February 2026 and duly gazetted on 16 February 2026,” Ncube said.

While government officials argue the Bill is aimed at strengthening governance structures and aligning Zimbabwe’s Constitution with global best practices, critics contend that the language used to promote the amendment appears more political than constitutional.

Ncube went further, calling on various sectors of society to mobilize in support of the Bill during the upcoming public consultations.

“In this regard, I urge the entire progressive and patriotic Midlands community and cadres, among them the church fraternity, youths, women, students, and affiliates, to shame uncouth detractors by turning out in their numbers to support the Bill during public consultations due to commence soon,” he said.
Observers say such remarks risk framing constitutional debate as a loyalty test rather than an open democratic process.

Constitutional amendments typically require broad national consensus, and some analysts argue that robust, non-partisan dialogue is essential to ensure legitimacy.

With public consultations expected to begin soon, attention now turns to whether diverse voices — including critics — will be given equal space to express their views on the proposed changes.