-Accuses Zimbabwe Government of ‘Coup Dressed in Legislative Robes’

HARARE – A coalition of five opposition political parties on Tuesday launched the People’s Truth Commission on the Constitutional Amendment (PTCCA), a new body aimed at fighting proposed constitutional changes that its members say would effectively end direct presidential elections in Zimbabwe.

The launch, announced on 21 April 2026, comes in response to Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3), which the PTCCA claims would extend the presidential term from five to seven years, replace direct presidential elections with a vote by lawmakers, dismantle the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), and transfer voter registration to an executive appointee.

“This is not constitutional reform,” the PTCCA statement read. “This is a coup dressed in legislative robes.”

The coalition cited a report from the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) documenting what it described as a “strong pattern of controlled participation” during public hearings held from March 30 to April 2 across all ten provinces. According to the ZHRC findings quoted by the PTCCA, “men holding whips were involved in vetting participants” in Mashonaland West, while those with divergent views were “threatened, silenced, denied opportunities to contribute and in some instances physically attacked.”

The PTCCA comprises five political parties: Zvido Zvevanhu People’s Party led by Godfrey Matadi, Freezim Congress led by Joseph Makamba Busha, MDC led by Morgan Komichi, National Progressive Democrats led by Togara Fambi, and United Zimbabwe Alliance led by Elisabeth Valerio.

The body, which describes itself as a “peaceful, lawful and constitutional abiding” organisation rather than a political party, issued eight core demands including a binding national referendum, the immediate withdrawal of CAB3, and the holding of the 2028 elections as scheduled.

The coalition also announced the launch of the “One Million Voices for Democracy” campaign.