By Trevor Ncube

On 16 February 2026, the Speaker of Parliament gazetted the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Bill. The 90-day public consultation period closes soon. Parliament’s own notice gives the deadline as Friday, 15 May 2026. That is the date to work to.

Between now and then, the only democratic instrument most of us still have is a written submission to the Clerk of Parliament. It is free. It is legal. It is constitutionally protected under Section 328(4). And it leaves a record.

As I wrote in An Evil System, ZANU PF is reportedly organising over 45,000 pre-written submissions in favour of CAB3 from just one province. The cartel is mobilising. The democratic majority must mobilise back — not by shouting, but by writing.

Below are three templates. One for individual citizens. One for organisations, churches, chambers, and professional associations. One for Zimbabweans in the diaspora. Copy the one that applies to you. Personalise it — a line or two in your own words makes your submission count more than a signature on a form letter. Then send it.

At the bottom of this post, I explain how we will publicly track submissions so the numbers are on record even if Parliament chooses to bury them.

Before you submit: four quick rules

1. Be firm, not abusive. Submissions that read as rants get set aside. Submissions that read as reasoned objections get counted.

2. Cite the Bill and cite the Constitution. Mentioning Section 328(7) and specific clauses of CAB3 shows you know what you are opposing. It forces the Committee to engage with the substance.

3. Say what you want done. A submission without a clear request is advisory. A submission with a clear request — “reject this Bill” / “hold a referendum” / “preserve Section 92” — is a demand.

4. Sign it. Anonymous submissions carry less weight. Your name, your ID number, your constituency, your signature. This is the record of a free citizen exercising a constitutional right.

TEMPLATE A — Individual Citizen

Copy, personalise the bracketed sections, and send.

The Clerk of Parliament Parliament of Zimbabwe Mt Hampden Parliament Building Harare

By email: clerk@parlzim.gov.zw

[Date]

RE: WRITTEN SUBMISSION IN TERMS OF SECTION 328(4) OF THE CONSTITUTION OF ZIMBABWE ON THE CONSTITUTION OF ZIMBABWE AMENDMENT (NO. 3) BILL, 2026 (H.B. 1, 2026)

Dear Sir/Madam,

I, [full name], holder of National Identification Number [ID number], a registered voter in the [constituency/ward] constituency, write to record my firm and reasoned opposition to the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Bill, 2026.

I make this submission in exercise of my rights under section 328(4) of the Constitution, read together with sections 58 and 61.

1. I reject the Bill in its entirety. The cumulative effect of its twenty-one clauses is to concentrate power in the executive at the expense of the people of Zimbabwe, and to roll back the democratic architecture that over three million Zimbabweans endorsed by referendum in March 2013.

2. I specifically reject the following provisions:

• The extension of presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years, and in particular the proposal to apply this retroactively to the current incumbents in violation of the spirit of section 328(7).

• The repeal of direct popular election of the President under section 92, and the proposal to have the President elected by a joint sitting of Parliament. This strips me of a right my grandparents shed blood to secure — one person, one vote.

• The transfer of responsibility for the voters’ roll from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to the Registrar-General.

• The appointment of ten additional senators by the President, stacking the body that will elect the President.

• The abolition of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission and the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission.

• The removal of public interviews for judicial appointments.

• The change to the role of the defence forces from “upholding” the Constitution to merely acting “in accordance with” it.

3. A referendum is constitutionally required. Section 328(7) prohibits any amendment extending the term of office of an incumbent from applying to that incumbent. Any attempt to bypass this by parliamentary vote alone is, in my view, an unconstitutional act that will be struck down by the Constitutional Court.

4. [Add one or two sentences in your own words about why this matters to you — your family, your community, your work, your children’s future.]

5. I therefore request that Parliament:

• Reject the Bill in its entirety;

• In the alternative, refer it to a national referendum as the Constitution requires; and

• Place this submission on the formal record of the Portfolio Committee considering the Bill.

I make this submission peacefully, lawfully, and in good faith as a Zimbabwean citizen who loves this country and wishes to see it prosper under the rule of law.

Yours faithfully,

[Signature] [Name in block letters] [Constituency] [Phone number — optional] [Email address]

TEMPLATE B — Organisation / Church / Chamber / Professional Body

For boards, councils, chapters, synods, and associations. Personalise the mandate paragraph.

The Clerk of Parliament Parliament of Zimbabwe Mt Hampden Parliament Building Harare

By email: clerk@parlzim.gov.zw

[Date]

RE: WRITTEN SUBMISSION OF [NAME OF ORGANISATION] ON THE CONSTITUTION OF ZIMBABWE AMENDMENT (NO. 3) BILL, 2026 (H.B. 1, 2026)

Dear Sir/Madam,

[Name of organisation], established in [year] and representing [number] members across Zimbabwe [or: across the following provinces], submits its considered opposition to the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Bill, 2026.

This submission is made following consultation with our [board / council / national committee / synod / members] on [date], and has been authorised by our [resolution / mandate] of that date.

1. The 2013 Constitution is a national compact. It was drafted through years of multi-party consultation and endorsed by 3,079,966 Zimbabweans in the referendum of 16 March 2013. It is not the property of the governing party. It is the property of the nation.

2. The Bill dismantles that compact. Taken together, the proposed amendments strip the electorate of the right to directly elect the President, extend the tenure of sitting incumbents by two years, transfer electoral infrastructure away from the independent Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, enlarge executive control of the Senate and the judiciary, and collapse two constitutional commissions that protect the most vulnerable.

3. Our specific objections are as follows:

• Section 92 (Presidential election): direct election by the people must be preserved. Our members regard this right as the most fundamental gain of the liberation struggle.

• Term extension retrospective to current incumbents: this is incompatible with section 328(7) of the Constitution and cannot be enacted without a national referendum.

• Voters’ roll transfer to the Registrar-General: removes an independent safeguard and reintroduces a partisan risk the 2013 Constitution was specifically designed to eliminate.

• Ten presidentially-appointed senators: stacks the body that will now elect the President, compounding the democratic deficit.

• Abolition of the Gender Commission and NPRC: removes dedicated institutional protection for women, for peace-building, and for reconciliation. Our [women’s desk / peace commission / youth programme] relies on these institutions.

• Removal of public interviews for judicial appointments: erodes the transparency that is essential to investor and public confidence.

4. Our formal request:

• That Parliament reject the Bill in its entirety;

• That, if any amendment to the 2013 Constitution is to be contemplated, it be submitted to a national referendum in accordance with section 328;

• That this submission be placed on the formal record of the Portfolio Committee considering the Bill;

• That the Committee invite [name of organisation] to make an oral submission before the Bill is debated in the House.

We make this submission in good faith, in pursuit of constitutional governance and national peace.

Signed on behalf of [Name of organisation]:

[Name and signature of Chair / President / Bishop / Secretary-General] [Title] [Postal and email address]

TEMPLATE C — Zimbabwean in the Diaspora

For Zimbabweans abroad. Section 328(4) does not restrict submissions by geography. Your constitutional voice crosses borders.

The Clerk of Parliament Parliament of Zimbabwe Mt Hampden Parliament Building Harare

By email: clerk@parlzim.gov.zw

[Date]

RE: WRITTEN SUBMISSION OF A ZIMBABWEAN CITIZEN RESIDENT ABROAD ON THE CONSTITUTION OF ZIMBABWE AMENDMENT (NO. 3) BILL, 2026

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am [full name], a citizen of Zimbabwe, holder of National Identification Number [ID number] and Zimbabwean passport number [passport number], currently resident in [city, country].

I remain a citizen of the Republic of Zimbabwe. My constitutional voice is not diminished by distance.

Zimbabweans living abroad contributed over US$2.4 billion to the Zimbabwean economy in 2025 alone, according to the Reserve Bank’s 2026 Monetary Policy Statement. We are not spectators. We are stakeholders.

1. I reject the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Bill, 2026 in its entirety for the reasons set out in paragraphs 2 to 4 below.

2. The Bill removes my right, as a Zimbabwean, to directly elect the President of the Republic. It is precisely this right that made me, and millions of Zimbabweans abroad, believe the country was finally on a democratic path when the 2013 Constitution was passed. Taking it away, through a parliamentary vote rather than a referendum, would be a direct act of disenfranchisement — of me and of every other Zimbabwean citizen.

3. The Bill’s attempt to extend the terms of current incumbents is incompatible with section 328(7). No constitutional amendment extending the term of a person already holding public office may apply to that person. Parliament cannot override this by simple majority.

4. [Add one or two sentences in your own words — why you left, what you still send home, what you hope to return to.]

5. I request that Parliament:

• Reject the Bill in its entirety;

• In the alternative, submit it to a national referendum;

• Facilitate diaspora participation in that referendum as envisaged by the Constitution.

I make this submission as a citizen, a taxpayer abroad who continues to support family in Zimbabwe, and a believer in the democratic future of our country.

Yours faithfully,

[Signature] [Name in block letters] [ID number / passport number] [City and country of residence] [Email address]

How to submit

By email (preferred): clerk@parlzim.gov.zw Physically: Parliament Building, Mt Hampden, Harare

Deadline: Parliament’s own notice gives the deadline as Friday, 15 May 2026. The statutory 90-day period closes on 17 May. Submit by 15 May to be safe.

One person, one submission. Do not send multiple copies from the same email address. Quality and personalisation count for more than volume.

Keep proof. Save the “sent” email. Take a photograph of your physical submission at the Parliament post desk. This is the record of your constitutional act.

How to let us know you submitted

We will publicly track submissions on AllThingsZimbabwe. Numbers will be reported weekly between now and 15 May. No names will be published unless you ask us to publish yours.

To be counted, do one of the following:

• Send a blind copy of your submission to cab3tracker@proton.me, OR

• Post on X, LinkedIn, or Facebook using #RejectCAB3 and #DefendTheConstitution.

Organisations submitting on behalf of their members: please also indicate your total membership, so we can report the number of citizens represented.

A reminder: this template is one of seven actions

In An Evil System, I set out a Credible Call to Action — seven specific, realistic things every Zimbabwean of conscience can do between now and the legislative vote. The template you have just read is Action One. The full programme is below. Pick the actions that fit your station, your skills, and your courage. None of us has to do all seven. All of us must do at least one.

1. Reject CAB3 in writing, by 17 May. Every citizen, civic body, professional association, church, and chamber of commerce. (This template.)

2. Form a Constitutional Defence Compact. The Constitutional Defenders Forum, NCA, Defend the Constitution Platform, war veterans, the Churches, the Law Society, business chambers, and trade unions — united around one non-negotiable platform: defence of the 2013 Constitution, without amendment. A compact, not a coalition. Party ambitions suspended.

3. Business must find its voice. Corporate silence is not neutrality; it is complicity. Issue statements. Sign petitions. Stand to be counted.

4. The Church must move from statements to coordinated civic action. Voices alone are no longer enough. Prayer-and-action days across every parish, assembly, and congregation, with written submissions and pastoral pressure on politically exposed members.

5. Use the diaspora’s economic leverage. Over US$2.4 billion in remittances in 2025 is not charity — it is power. The diaspora must organise around a single demand: no constitutional manipulation.

6. Prepare for 2028 and beyond, now. Voter registration, civic education, youth mobilisation — beginning now, building infrastructure outside ZANU PF’s reach.

7. Build institutions ZANU PF cannot capture. Independent media. Diaspora-funded civic platforms. Legal defence funds for the arrested. Citizen-run electoral observation.

This template is the immediate, urgent action. The other six are the longer fight. Both must run in parallel.

A final word

Forty-five thousand pre-written submissions from one province is not democracy. It is choreography.

The answer is not to shout louder. It is to write — firmly, specifically, legally, and in our own names. A submission is an act of sober civic defiance. It creates a record. A rigged hearing can be televised away. A written submission, dated and filed with the Clerk of Parliament, cannot.

Between now and 15 May, every Zimbabwean with a pen, a phone, or an email account has one clear duty.

Use this template. Personalise it. Send it. Track it.

Not by tanks. Not by blood. But by the will of the people — on paper, signed, filed, and counted.

Trevor Ncube deeply loves Zimbabwe. He is a Zimbabwean publisher, the Executive Chairman of Alpha Media Holdings, and Founder of Trevor & Associates. He writes at allthingszimbabwe.substack.com. This is a companion piece to “An Evil System: Why ZANU PF Cannot Be Reformed — Only Uprooted.”