HARARE – Zimbabwe’s most prominent Christian umbrella bodies have issued a rare and forceful joint pastoral statement, warning that proposed constitutional amendments represent a dangerous threat to the country’s democratic foundations.
Issued on February 27, 2026, the statement from the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations (ZHOCD) – representing the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe, UDACIZA, the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference, and the Zimbabwe Council of Churches – takes direct aim at the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Bill, 2026.
The church leaders pull no punches in their assessment. The proposed Bill, they say, would extend presidential and parliamentary terms without a fresh mandate from the people, bypass entrenched constitutional safeguards that require a referendum, remove direct presidential elections, restructure the Senate to entrench the incumbent’s dominance, weaken electoral independence, increase executive control over the judiciary and prosecution, and dilute or abolish key independent commissions.
Taken together, the bishops write, these amendments “would narrow the people’s voice in governance and concentrate power in ways incompatible with our 2013 Constitution’s spirit,” heightening the threat of conflict in the country.
The statement recalls a letter ZHOCD sent to President Emmerson Mnangagwa on July 18, 2024, in which they celebrated his public commitment not to seek a third term or a term extension, praising it at the time as a “sterling example of servant leadership.”
Now, the church leaders warn that proceeding with these amendments would directly contradict those assurances and “deeply wound the nation’s trust and the moral standing of the Second Republic.”
The statement issues specific appeals to three groups. To ordinary citizens and people of faith, the bishops urge prayer, peaceful civic engagement, and direct contact with Members of Parliament, drawing on biblical examples of those who resisted unjust authority, from the Hebrew midwives to Esther and Daniel, framing resistance to the Bill as a moral and spiritual duty.
To Members of Parliament, they appeal to their oath of office, calling parliament “a sacred trust” and urging legislators to choose principle over expedience and decline to endorse the amendments.
Most strikingly, to President Mnangagwa himself, they make a direct and personal appeal: do not be swayed by those pushing these changes, lead as a constitutionalist, conduct elections in 2028, and allow the country to witness its first truly smooth leadership transition, arguing this path would consolidate, not diminish, his legacy.
The ZHOCD reminds Zimbabweans that the church played a central role in shaping the 2013 constitution through the Zimbabwe We Want national vision document and COPAC outreach, making this moment personally significant to them.
The churches announce the launch of a National Dialogue and Engagement Document and commit to ongoing, non-partisan engagement with all stakeholders.
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