Chamisa Blasts CCC MPs Who Backed Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3

Former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa has strongly criticised opposition legislators who voted alongside ZANU-PF to pass Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 in the National Assembly, describing their actions as a betrayal of citizens who have endured years of political persecution and hardship.

The controversial Bill sailed through the National Assembly on Thursday after securing 216 votes, comfortably exceeding the two-thirds majority threshold of 187 required for constitutional amendments. While 42 CCC lawmakers voted against the proposed changes, 35 opposition MPs supported the legislation together with ZANU-PF legislators. The Bill now heads to the Senate, where its passage is widely expected given ZANU-PF's commanding majority, bolstered by traditional leaders and other aligned representatives who generally support the ruling party's legislative agenda.

Reacting to the vote on Friday, Chamisa accused opposition lawmakers who supported the Bill of abandoning the struggles and sacrifices made by many Zimbabweans in the pursuit of democratic change. He said countless citizens had suffered political violence, arrests, abductions, discrimination, and economic exclusion over the years, making it difficult to understand why some opposition representatives would choose to align themselves with those they have long accused of perpetuating such injustices.

"We do not merely bear the scars of politics; we carry deep wounds. We have been severely bruised, abused, and broken by this oppressive system of tyranny," Chamisa said.

He reflected on the sacrifices made by opposition supporters, saying many families continue to live with the pain of losing loved ones to politically motivated violence, while others remain haunted by unresolved cases of abductions and disappearances.

"Many of our friends and relatives lost their lives because of politics, and the pain remains as profound today as it was then," he said.

"Some have been abducted and disappeared without a trace. Others have been forced to sleep in unimaginable places, including the mountains, simply to survive."

Chamisa also highlighted what he described as years of persecution faced by opposition activists and leaders, including arrests, harassment, assassination attempts, and exclusion from opportunities and state resources.

According to Chamisa, some lawmakers had chosen personal gain over the interests of the citizens who elected them.

"And after all this, some choose to align themselves with and support the very oppressors and persecutors responsible for our suffering, all for money, personal benefits, and the desire to illegally remain in this illegitimate parliament," he said.

Despite his criticism, Chamisa expressed confidence that ordinary Zimbabweans would ultimately determine the country's future.

"The citizens are the ultimate parliament and shall determine the direction of our great country," he said.

In a final warning directed at both the ruling party and opposition politicians who supported the Bill, Chamisa declared:

"To you, oppressors and your sidekicks, stop it or be stopped. Change can't be delayed or denied any longer."

The passage of Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 has intensified divisions within the opposition while reigniting debate over the proposed constitutional changes, which critics argue could significantly reshape Zimbabwe's governance framework. Supporters of the Bill, however, maintain that the amendments are necessary to improve governance and strengthen public institutions.

Nelson Chamisa Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3