Public hearings on the proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 in Harare were disrupted by violence with opposition figures alleging they were prevented from participating in the consultation process.
The disturbances occurred at the City Sports Centre where chaos broke out following disputes over who was allowed to speak.
Several opposition politicians, lawyers and activists said they had been sidelined during proceedings particularly those seated in Bay 8 an area they claim was deliberately excluded from contributing.
Among those affected were constitutional lawyer Professor Lovemore Madhuku, Tendai Biti, Fadzayi Mahere, Doug Coltart and Munyaradzi Gwisai as well as opposition politicians Denford Ngadziore, Gladys Hlatywayo, Jacob Ngarivhume and Morgan Komichi.
Trade unionist Obert Masaraure was also among those present.
Human rights lawyer Coltart is also reported to have been attacked during the disturbances with his mobile phone allegedly stolen by suspected ruling ZANU-PF supporters.
Speaking after the incident, Professor Madhuku said those opposed to the Bill had been deliberately excluded.
“We were not allowed to speak and then there was violence when we were now, the bay, they identified because all of us, the people who were opposed to the bay, we were sitting in bay 8. We were sitting together, all of us, and they identified the bay where we were sitting. The method that was used was to avoid the bay. Parliament has failed to provide the scope for a proper consultation process.
“What they are doing is totally contrary to what the Constitution contemplates. The Constitution contemplates orderly presentations, it contemplates reasonable positions on how to allow people to speak out, and so forth. Everything that the Constitution contemplates has been violated by Parliament in respect of today’s thing and I think in respect of others.
“They were not prepared to hear any other view except the view that supported the bill. And all these things when the people that took up the mic and those who were supposed to move around with the mic, were actually provincial leaders of ZANU-PF… The police were watching, they didn’t intervene, and the avoidance of it was quite outright and open,” he said.
Fadzayi Mahere also described the incident as violent.
“Violence has broken out at the City Sports Centre. Zanu PF thugs descended on our bay and said ‘hamubate mic.’(You won’t get to hold the microphone) We said that’s nonsense. It’s a public hearing,” she said.
Tendai Biti, who is also convener of the Constitution Defenders Forum said those opposed to the Bill were denied an opportunity to speak.
“We were denied the chance to speak,” he said.
The Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 has sparked heated debate across the country with critics arguing that it undermines democratic principles, while supporters say it is necessary for governance reforms.
