The
situation
at
a
sports
complex
in
the
capital,
Harare,
turned
violent
when
prominent
human
rights
lawyer
Doug
Coltart
was
attacked,
leaving
him
bruised.
His
cellphone
was
taken
and
his
glasses
were
broken.
The
unrest
came
amid
a
broader
crackdown
on
critics
of
the
proposed
changes.
People
shouting
support
for
the
presidential
term
extension
shoved
and
slapped
Coltart
as
he
tried
to
exit
the
complex.
He
was
one
of
the
critics
walking
out
in
protest
over
the
intimidation
characterizing
the
meeting.
The
amendments
would
allow
President
Emmerson
Mnangagwa,
a
former
guerrilla
fighter,
to
remain
in
power
for
two
more
years
beyond
his
current
term,
which
expires
in
2028.
They
would
also
shift
the
election
of
the
president
from
a
popular
vote
to
Parliament
and
extend
the
terms
of
both
the
president
and
lawmakers
from
five
to
seven
years.
The
hearings,
taking
place
nationwide,
are
a
mandatory
step
before
lawmakers
vote
on
the
bill,
though
the
public
input
isn’t
binding
on
Parliament.
At
several
hearings
that
began
across
the
country
on
Monday,
critics
of
the
amendments
were
drowned
out
by
boos,
heckling
and
intimidation,
or
denied
the
chance
to
speak,
said
Tendai
Biti,
leader
of
the
Constitutional
Defenders
Forum,
a
group
campaigning
against
the
proposals.
Biti,
a
former
finance
minister,
was
released
on
bail
last
week
after
being
detained
for
allegedly
holding
an
unsanctioned
meeting
opposing
the
amendments.
Earlier
this
month,
another
opposition
figure
was
hospitalized
after
being
beaten
by
unidentified
men
that
he
said
were
police
officers,
following
a
meeting
on
the
proposed
changes.
Police
denied
involvement,
saying
the
gathering
had
been
banned.
Authorities
have
rejected
accusations
of
suppressing
dissent,
saying
the
reforms
are
being
pursued
within
the
law.
Mnangagwa
has
said
that
he
will
step
down
at
the
end
of
his
second
term
in
2028,
but
he
hasn’t
publicly
opposed
efforts
by
his
governing
ZANU-PF
party
to
extend
it.
Mnangagwa
came
to
power
after
a
popular
2017
military
coup
ousted
Zimbabwe’s
longtime
leader,
the
late
Robert
Mugabe.
Mnangagwa
later
won
disputed
elections
in
2018
and
2023,
both
of
which
were
criticized
by
international
rights
groups
over
alleged
crackdowns
on
opposition
candidates
and
supporters.
Critics
argue
that
any
move
to
extend
presidential
terms
requires
approval
through
a
national
referendum.