Tinotenda Hove – ZANU PF Chief Whip Pupurai Togarepi has come under criticism after defending the ruling party’s refusal to allow a secret ballot in Parliament on the controversial Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3), a move critics say is meant to pressure MPs into following the party line.

Speaking to ZiFM Stereo News last week, Togarepi questioned why legislators would want to vote secretly, insisting that MPs elected through political parties are expected to publicly defend party positions when voting on constitutional reforms.

“This is important so that the public understands where the party stands,” Togarepi said. “Have you ever seen political parties or MPs in Parliament voting through secret ballots? These are political parties. MPs are elected on party lists and openly express their positions. There is nothing to hide.”

He also dismissed calls for a secret ballot as unnecessary and politically motivated.

“We have never used secret ballots before. This is not the first constitutional amendment,” he said. “We have passed many constitutional amendments before, and we cannot suddenly make this one unique simply because some people have their own agendas.”
Togarepi further argued that MPs are bound to represent the interests of their political parties in Parliament.

“MPs go to Parliament on party tickets. They do not simply go there independently. Every political party has an interest in any legislation that comes before Parliament. When a political party adopts a position, that position is communicated through its MPs.”

His remarks have fuelled criticism from those who believe the rejection of a secret ballot undermines parliamentary independence and exposes legislators to political intimidation, especially on a matter as sensitive as constitutional reform.

CAB3 has already completed the mandatory 90-day public consultation process required under Section 328 of the Constitution and is now moving toward critical parliamentary stages where ZANU PF’s numerical dominance is expected to determine the outcome.

The ruling party currently controls more than 190 seats in the National Assembly, comfortably above the two-thirds majority required to amend the Constitution.
However, ZANU PF did not secure that supermajority during the August 2023 harmonised elections.

The party only crossed the threshold after a series of controversial recalls and by-elections that weakened the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).

In October 2023, self-proclaimed CCC “Interim Secretary-General” Sengezo Tshabangu recalled dozens of CCC MPs and councillors, claiming they were no longer party members.

Although citizens leader Nelson Chamisa dismissed Tshabangu as an impostor, Parliament and the courts upheld the recalls, triggering by-elections that ZANU PF capitalised on to expand its parliamentary dominance.

By February 2024, ZANU PF had secured enough seats to amend the Constitution without needing support from opposition MPs.