Election Watchdog Warns Against Constitutional Changes

By Kudzaishe Chimonera

Local election think tank, the Election Resource Centre (ERC) has raised alarm over the proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill (No. 3) of 2026 saying the changes could undermine democratic accountability and weaken the country’s electoral system.

In a statement, the civic organisation said the proposed reforms amount to a fundamental shift in Zimbabwe’s constitutional and electoral framework with potential consequences for regional democratic standards.

At the centre of the concern is a proposal to scrap direct presidential elections and replace them with an indirect process through Parliament.

“The Bill proposes removing the right of Zimbabwean citizens to directly elect their President, substituting it with an indirect election through Parliament,” the ERC said warning that the move would erode participatory democracy.

The organisation also criticised plans to extend the terms of elected officials from five to seven years. It rejected claims that frequent elections hinder development arguing that there is no evidence to support the assertion.

According to the ERC, political instability is driven not by election cycles but by disputed outcomes and deep political polarisation.

“The proposal and rationale behind it are not grounded in fact,” the statement said.

The ERC also expressed concern over changes to the management of elections warning that restructuring key institutions could threaten the independence of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).

It said proposals to shift responsibilities such as voter registration and constituency delimitation to other bodies risk weakening oversight and fragmenting electoral authority.

“The proposed amendments do not assist, protect or further the independence of the Electoral Commission,” the ERC said.

The organisation added that constitutional reforms of this scale should not be rushed through Parliament without broad public consultation.

“Any constitutional change of this magnitude fundamentally alters the relationship between the state and the citizen and cannot be resolved by a simple parliamentary majority,” the ERC said.