Timba: “Stability Comes From the Constitution, Not Postponed Polls”

CCC senator Jameson Timba has warned that postponing elections or extending presidential terms threatens Zimbabwe’s constitutional order (image source)

Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) senator Jameson Timba has strongly criticised Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi’s suggestion that postponing elections or extending presidential tenure could bring political stability, warning that such proposals undermine constitutional order and risk deepening national polarisation.

Timba anchored his argument in the 2013 Constitution, which provides for a five-year electoral cycle, arguing that regular, predictable elections are the foundation of stability. He told Parliament that delaying polls would erode public trust in democratic institutions and potentially fuel unrest rather than calm.

His remarks come amid reports that Zanu PF is considering constitutional amendments to extend current terms to 2030, a move critics say would effectively defer the 2028 general elections. Timba cautioned that stability cannot be manufactured through ad hoc tenure extensions that concentrate power and weaken legitimacy. He argued that any proposal affecting term limits or election timelines must be subjected to broad public consultation and approved through a referendum.

“A government confident of its popular support should not fear the people’s verdict,” Timba said, adding that constitutional changes imposed without public consent would only heighten political tensions.

Political analysts say Timba’s position reflects a wider regional lesson that suspending or altering electoral timetables in the name of stability often produces uncertainty and resistance. Commentators note that the debate has already energised civil society and opposition groups, increasing the political and reputational cost of unilateral constitutional change. Some observers also point to recent internal disputes within political parties, including over parliamentary co-options, as evidence that the issue is intertwined with broader questions of governance and accountability.

Legal experts warn that normalising term extensions could weaken institutional checks and balances and open the door to executive overreach. International partners, they add, may interpret such moves as a retreat from democratic norms. By calling for a referendum, Timba has framed the issue as one of legitimacy, arguing that any departure from the constitutional order must be sanctioned directly by the electorate.