Joint Press Conference with Constitution Defenders Forum (CDF) and National Constitutional Assembly (NCA)
Harare
Disengagement from Public Hearings and the Way Forward
Fellow Zimbabweans,
We stand before you this morning following deeply disturbing developments in the ongoing public hearings on the proposed Constitution Amendment Bill No. 3.
What we witnessed yesterday in Harare, and indeed in other parts of the country, cannot be described as a genuine consultative process. Citizens were denied the opportunity to speak, voices were drowned out, and in some instances, violence and intimidation were deployed against those expressing dissenting views.A lawyer and a journalist were assaulted. A student in Bindura, and youth in Bulawayo and elsewhere were abducted.
This is not consultation.
It is orchestration.
A constitutional process that excludes citizens cannot claim legitimacy.
Our Position
As the Defend the Constitution Platform, in concert with our colleagues in the Constitution Defence Forum and the National Constitutional Assembly, we have taken a principled decision:
We hereby disengage from the current public hearings process.
We cannot participate in, or lend legitimacy to, a process that is fundamentally flawed, exclusionary, and inconsistent with the spirit and letter of the Constitution.
A Constitutional Path Forward
However, disengagement does not mean withdrawal from the constitutional struggle.
On the contrary, it marks the beginning of a more structured, citizen-driven response.
On our part as the DCP and in concert with others, we will be establishing a framework that allows Zimbabweans to actively participate in the defence of their Constitution through lawful civic engagement.
This engagement will be anchored in Section 59 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to demonstrate and present petitions peacefully.
We will therefore create platforms through which citizens can:
Express their views freely and without intimidation
Participate in organised, lawful civic action
Assert their constitutional rights in a structured and disciplined manner
But in addition, we are also demanding a proper comprehensive consultation process in every Constituency.
A United Constitutional Front
Together with the CDF and the NCA, we will establish a coordinated framework to work and act collectively in defence of the Constitution. We will also be engaging more organisations including the Church and war veterans.
This is not about organisations.
It is about the people.
It is about ensuring that the Constitution remains a true expression of their will.
Conclusion
Let me be clear:
We cannot legitimise a process that silences the very people it claims to consult.
The Constitution belongs to the people of Zimbabwe.
And its future must be determined by them — not imposed upon them.
We call upon all Zimbabweans to remain peaceful, vigilant, and engaged.
The defence of the Constitution is now firmly in the hands of the citizens.