Silence from authorities after public hearings end amid violence

The conclusion of nationwide public hearings on the Constitutional Amendment (No. 3) Bill has been overshadowed by growing concern over the lack of accountability for violent disruptions, with commentators noting neither Parliament nor police acknowledged the incidents or outlined steps to hold perpetrators responsible. The four-day hearings, held from March 30 to April 2, 2026 were designed to give citizens an opportunity to contribute to proposed constitutional changes.

However, they were marred by chaotic scenes and reports of violence in several parts of the country, particularly in Harare, leaving the political environment tense and raising questions about the integrity of the consultative process. Despite this, Parliament has maintained a focus on procedural continuity rather than addressing the disturbances. In a public notice,Parliament thanked citizens who participated and encouraged further submissions.

“Parliament wishes to thank members of the public who participated in the public hearings held across the country during the period 30th March to 4th April 2026, and those who have been sending their submissions directly to Parliament,” read the notice. Parliament added that submissions could still be submitted at the Old Parliament Building or its Mount Hampden offices, or sent via email, with a deadline of May 17, 2026. Notably absent from Parliament’s statement was any reference to the violence or disruptions that characterised parts of the outreach exercise, where citizens against the amendment bill were subjected to harassment by alleged Zanu PF thugs.

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The Election Resource Centre Africa (ERC) said the failure by authorities to address the incidents risks undermining public confidence in the process. “Overall, the political environment on Day 3 remained tense following scenes of violence witnessed during the public hearing in Harare,” the ERC said in its observations. “The ERC noted that neither Parliament nor the Zimbabwe Republic Police acknowledged the incidents, and it continues to await credible steps to hold perpetrators accountable.

This environment risks creating a chilling effect on free expression and public participation.” ERC Africa is a think tank and advocacy organisation on electoral issues in Africa. The organisation was formed following the need to deepen electoral research work that would inform effective citizen participation, strengthen policy engagement towards the improvement of the quality of electoral and democratic practices.

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