Another Battle Looms Over Zimbabwe Constitution

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the political deadlock in Zimbabwe regarding the draft constitution. While the Constitution Select Committee of Parliament (COPAC) reached an initial agreement, ZANU-PF has since called for revisions to include views from the outreach phase, while the two MDC formations refuse further renegotiation.

• ZANU-PF has indicated it cannot accept the draft constitution without revisions to incorporate views gathered during the outreach phase, with a politburo meeting scheduled for 15 August to finalize its position.
• The proposed constitution introduces significant changes to executive power, including fixed five-year terms for the president and parliament, and requiring presidential consultation with parliament on key issues such as senior public appointments, states of public emergency, and declarations of war.
• The draft constitution proposes the devolution of power to local authorities and provincial and metropolitan councils, though it stops short of establishing a full federal system. It also mandates equal representation of women in commissions and elected institutions.
• ZANU-PF has expressed objections to clauses that limit presidential power, specifically regarding the appointment of provincial governors and the approval of troop deployments, as well as provisions that reduce the authority of traditional leaders.
• The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has urged the parties to finalize the constitution and move to a referendum, as the adoption of a new constitution is a requirement of the Global Political Agreement (GPA).

APA

Dzinesa, G. (n.d.). Another Battle Looms Over Zimbabwe Constitution. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/another-battle-looms-over-zimbabwe-constitution

Chicago

Dzinesa, Gwinyayi. Another Battle Looms Over Zimbabwe Constitution. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/another-battle-looms-over-zimbabwe-constitution.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Dzinesa |first1=Gwinyayi |title=Another Battle Looms Over Zimbabwe Constitution |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/iss-today/another-battle-looms-over-zimbabwe-constitution |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dzinesandanother, author = {Dzinesa, Gwinyayi}, title = {{Another Battle Looms Over Zimbabwe Constitution}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/iss-today/another-battle-looms-over-zimbabwe-constitution}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }