Highly
placed
sources
told
CITE
that
the
Ministry
of
Local
Government
and
Public
Works
recently
advised
the
President
of
the
National
Council
of
Chiefs,
Chief
Mtshane
Khumalo,
to
convene
emergency
provincial
assemblies
across
the
country
on
Thursday,
26
March
2026.
These
meetings
were
reportedly
intended
to
consolidate
support
for
the
amendment
bill
before
a
National
Council
of
Chiefs
meeting
scheduled
for
Sunday
29
March
2026.
The
directive
is
said
to
have
come
from
Local
Government
Minister,
Daniel
Garwe,
who
allegedly
urged
provincial
chairpersons
to
make
sure
chiefs
endorse
the
proposed
constitutional
changes
ahead
of
the
national
indaba.
The
developments
come
as
the Constitutional
Amendment
No.
3
Bill,
gazetted
in
February
2026,
continues
to
generate
intense
debate
across
Zimbabwe’s
political
and
civic
landscape.
The
Bill
proposes
sweeping
changes
to
the
governance
framework,
including
extending
presidential
and
parliamentary
terms
from
five
to
seven
years
and
altering
the
method
of
electing
the
President.
If
adopted,
the
changes
could
allow
President
Emmerson
Mnangagwa,
currently
serving
his
final
term
under
the
2013
Constitution,
to
remain
in
office
beyond
2028,
potentially
up
to
2030.
The
amendment
bill
will
also
allow
chiefs,
who
are
constitutionally
mandated
to
be
politically
neutral
to
openly
participate
in
politics
and
join
political
parties.
However,
on
Thursday,
chiefs
from
Matabeleland
North
and
South
were
already
gathered
in
Bulawayo
for
a
workshop
on
capacitation
in
customary
law
and
local
courts,
organised
by
the
Judicial
Service
Commission.
Sources
within
the
chiefs’
establishment
who
spoke
to
CITE
suggested
there
could
be
a
coordinated
effort
to
endorse
the
Bill,
since
the
presence
of
chiefs
from
both
provinces
in
one
location
created
an
opportunity
for
parallel
discussions
on
the
amendment
bill.
Media
invitations
circulating
on
Thursday
also
pointed
to
a
“Constitutional
Amendment
Bill
No.
3
Consultations
for
Traditional
Chiefs
in
the
Matabeleland
Region,”
scheduled
for
the
same
Thursday
evening.
The
media
briefing
is
expected
to
be
addressed
by
Chief
Mtshane
and
legal
experts
as
guest
speakers.
Another
of
the
most
contentious
aspects
of
the
amendment
bill
relates
to
the
role
of
traditional
leaders,
as
the
proposed
amendment
seeks
to
repeal
Section
281(2)
of
the
Constitution,
which
currently
prohibits
chiefs,
headmen
and
village
heads
from
participating
in
partisan
politics.
Under
the
current
Constitution,
traditional
leaders
are
required
to
act
impartially
and
must
not
be
members
of
political
parties,
act
in
a
partisan
manner,
or
further
the
interests
of
any
political
cause.
The
chiefs
are
also
obligated
to
treat
all
individuals
within
their
jurisdictions
equally
and
fairly.
Clause
20
of
the
proposed
amendment
seeks
to
repeal
these
provisions,
effectively
allowing
traditional
leaders
to
openly
participate
in
politics.
The
Bill
suggests
that
their
conduct
would
instead
be
regulated
through
an
Act
of
Parliament.
Analysts
have
warned
that
removing
constitutional
safeguards
that
require
chiefs
to
remain
politically
neutral
will
undermine
the
traditional
leadership
institution,
particularly
in
rural
communities
where
chiefs
play
a
central
role
in
dispute
resolution
and
social
cohesion.
The
push
to
secure
chiefs’
endorsement
also
comes
against
a
backdrop
of
broader
concerns
about
shrinking
civic
space
and
increasing
pressure
on
dissenting
voices.
In
recent
weeks,
critics
of
the
Amendment
Bill
have
reported
intimidation
and
arrests,
raising
questions
about
whether
the
environment
for
public
consultation
is
sufficiently
open
and
inclusive.
Observers
have
also
said
the
involvement
of
traditional
leaders
in
the
ongoing
constitutional
debate
is
significant,
given
their
influence
in
rural
Zimbabwe,
where
a
large
proportion
of
the
population
lives.
“The
unfolding
developments
are
serving
as
a
test
of
both
constitutionalism
and
the
independence
of
traditional
leadership
in
Zimbabwe,”
said
legal
commentator,
Dr
Vusumizi
Sibanda.