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Rumbidzayi Zinyuke, Senior Reporter
A GROUP of retired army Generals and liberation war veterans has endorsed Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3, saying the proposed changes seek to align Zimbabwe’s governance and electoral processes with national development priorities while addressing gaps in the current constitutional framework.
The group also distanced itself from remarks attributed to retired Air Marshal Henry Muchena, accusing him of misrepresenting their collective position during recent submissions to Parliament.
Addressing a Press conference in Harare yesterday, Major-General (Retired) Gibson Mashingaidze said the intervention was necessary to correct what he described as misleading claims that former senior military officers opposed the amendment.
“We are deeply concerned with the recent utterances that were made by our dear colleague.
“For him to say he was speaking on behalf of all of us is not only unfortunate, but it is regrettable,” said Maj-Gen Mashingaidze.
“The generality of retired general officers and the war veterans hereby unequivocally distance themselves from the sentiments by retired Air Marshal Muchena.”
He said the group fully participated in the Zanu-PF National People’s Conference 2024 and the 2025 conference, which adopted and reaffirmed Resolution No. 1 — a position they say laid the foundation for Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3.
“The resolution was a collective Zanu-PF position, which we unapologetically participated in and confirmed as a precursor to Constitutional Amendment No. 3,” he said.
Maj-Gen Mashingaidze, who is also the national chairperson of the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Board and War Veterans League (Masvingo chapter), said he was directly involved in drafting the resolution and consultations dating back to 2024.
He added that several retired Generals and senior civil servants had expressed shock at Air Marshal Muchena’s claims.
“Cde Muchena did not consult neither us nor anyone on the matter and therefore we humbly submit that his views are personal and don’t represent those of retired general officers and war veterans, who happen to be in the Zanu-PF Politburo.”
He said many of the veterans occupy positions within Zanu-PF structures, including the Politburo, Central Committee and other party organs, reinforcing that their stance reflects broader party consensus.
Maj-Gen Mashingaidze said the group supports all provisions under the Bill, arguing that some of the proposed amendments are intended to correct “unpalatable negotiated clauses” from the Government of National Unity era.
“His Excellency President, Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa, is a constitutionalist par excellence and a deployee of the party. To that end, the proposed constitutional amendments are being constitutionally and legally conducted through a parliamentary process, where the people are ably represented by Parliamentarians from across the political divide,” he said.
Online Reporter