HARARE – Zimbabwe’s Catholic bishops have condemned the proposed Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Bill, 2026, warning that its provisions collectively strip citizens of democratic sovereignty.

In a pastoral letter on Thursday, the bishops called on members of parliament to vote against it on grounds of conscience.

The public letter, titled ‘In Defence of Truth, Justice, and the Voice of the People’, was issued by the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference and signed by all seven of the country’s bishops.

“Our Constitution is more than law; it is a solemn covenant, born from the overwhelming will of Zimbabweans in 2013, embodying our collective hopes for justice, unity, peace, and prosperity,” the bishops said.

The statement identifies three core threats in the bill. It argues that removing direct presidential elections transfers executive authority away from popular consent; that extending parliamentary and presidential terms from five to seven years without a fresh mandate “undermines democratic legitimacy”; and that bypassing the referendum requirement entrenched in Section 328(7) of the constitution to prevent incumbents from benefiting from term limit changes creates “a glaring contradiction” that threatens constitutional democracy itself.

On independent institutions, the bishops warn that the bill risks turning the judiciary, prosecution service and electoral bodies into instruments of partisan control. They express concern about increased presidential powers over the appointment of judges and the Prosecutor General, the transfer of delimitation and voters’ roll responsibilities away from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, and provisions that would permit traditional chiefs to act in a partisan manner.

Citing President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s own slogan that “the voice of the people is the voice of God,” the bishops said it would be a contradiction to sideline that voice through amendments that concentrate power in the executive.

“When the people’s role fades, so too does the legitimacy of rule,” they said.

The bishops made a direct appeal at MPs and senators, invoking scripture to fortify them against pressure to vote for the bill.

“You bear a sacred duty before God and the nation: to govern for the common good, not personal or partisan gain. Pressures – be they bribes, threats, or promises – may tempt you,” they went on.

“Chokwadi chinokunda / iqiniso liyanqoba – truth prevails,” the bishops added. “History will judge whether you safeguarded their voice or betrayed it.”

The bishops said if the amendments “genuinely serve the nation’s welfare, let the people affirm them” through a transparent process including wide consultation and, ultimately, a referendum.

The statement was signed by ZCBC president Rt. Rev. Raymond Mupandasekwa of the Diocese of Masvingo, vice president Rt. Rev. Rudolf Nyandoro of Gweru, secretary and treasurer Rt. Rev. Raphael M.M. Ncube of Hwange, Rt. Rev. Paul Horan of Mutare, Rt. Rev. Eusebius J. Nyathi of Gokwe, Archbishop of Harare Most Rev. R.C. Ndlovu and Archbishop of Bulawayo Most Rev. Alex Thomas.

The pastoral letter is the latest in a series of interventions by religious bodies against the bill. The Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations, an ecumenical body representing the country’s major Protestant, Pentecostal and Catholic denominations, issued a joint statement last week, while the Seventh-day Adventist Lawyers Association has separately written to parliament urging rejection of the bill.

Parliament is expected to proceed with debate on the bill in the coming days following public consultations.