Zimbabweans in the United Kingdom are planning a protest in London on 18 April 2026, Zimbabwe’s Independence Day, against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3. Organised by the Citizens Protest Movement, the demonstration will take place outside Zimbabwe House in London, with a focus on protecting the diaspora’s voting rights.
The proposed amendments, which have sparked controversy, would allow Parliament to elect the President, effectively removing direct elections. Critics argue this change would marginalise Zimbabweans living abroad, as they have no parliamentary representation and would lose their ability to vote for the head of state.
The protest comes after public hearings on the Bill concluded and amid mounting pressure from Zanu PF to pass the amendments without a national referendum. Constitutional experts have condemned the Bill as a threat to Zimbabwe’s democratic foundations, accusing the government of attempting to bypass constitutional safeguards designed to prevent the concentration of power.
The diaspora’s concerns are particularly acute. If the President is no longer directly elected, their votes would become “effectively irrelevant,” according to the Citizens Protest Movement. The group is calling on Mnangagwa’s government to halt the Bill and ensure any constitutional changes are subject to a national referendum, as required by the current constitution.
The proposed amendments have also divided Zanu PF. While some members from Mnangagwa’s rural strongholds in Midlands and Masvingo support his bid to extend his second and final term by two years, others insist he must respect the 2013 Constitution.
The protest highlights growing tensions over Zimbabwe’s political future and the role of its citizens abroad in shaping it.
