Nyambirai Urges Mnangagwa To Dissolve Parliament, Call Fresh Elections Before August 2026 To Save Constitution

Lawyer Nyambirai Says Mnangagwa Should Dissolve Parliament And Hold Elections Before August 2026 To Save the Constitution

Prominent lawyer Tawanda Nyambirai has dropped a bombshell proposal suggesting President Emmerson Mnangagwa dissolve Parliament and call fresh elections before August 2026 as a way to rescue the Constitution from controversial Amendment Bill No. 3.

In a post on X on March 19, 2026, Nyambirai described his plan as a “less divisive way forward” that would allow for a national reset amid intensifying debate over proposed constitutional changes to extend presidential terms to seven years.

“A Less Divisive Way Forward”

Nyambirai framed his proposal as a constitutional reset, citing specific provisions in Zimbabwe’s supreme law.

Introducing his argument, he wrote:

“Seeing the controversy generated by the proposed constitutional amendments, is it not time to consider a less divisive way forward that will allow a reset?”

He went further to outline a legal pathway involving the dissolution of Parliament and early elections.

“The President could dissolve Parliament in terms of Section 158 as read with S143 of the Constitution and call for Parliamentary and Presidential elections before August 2026.”

Nyambirai argued that such a move would not violate term limits, stating that the current period served since the August 2023 elections does not constitute a full term.

“No one is disqualified from contesting. The time served since August 2023 is less than 3 years and is thus not a term.”

He concluded his proposal with a strong claim:

“Therefore, the incumbents will be entitled to contest without violating the Constitution. And the Constitution will be saved.”

Mixed Reactions From Political Figures

Former Zanu PF National Political Commissar Saviour Kasukuwere weighed in on the matter.

“My brother, I salute your courage and observation that this matter is highly divisive and controversial,” Kasukuwere posted.

He offered a different perspective on where resolution should lie.

“My take is that this a ZANU(PF) succession matter and should be resolved at the Congress. The Constitution should not be tampered with to resolve internal succession issues. This is tantamount to holding the country at ransom in a bid to block each other.”

Gamuchirai Chinamasa offered a robust defence of Amendment Bill No. 3 while critiquing Nyambirai’s proposal.

“Nyambirai, with respect your line of thinking sounds neat in theory, but it ignores the lived reality on the ground. Calling for a snap election under the same conditions doesn’t ‘reset’ anything – it simply reproduces the same outcome with more tension and uncertainty,” she posted.

She argued that the amendment Bill addresses deeper structural issues.

“Amendment Bill No. 3 actually confronts the five cancers holding the country back. The 7-year election sabbath is constitutional surgery to stabilise and reset governance; dissolving Parliament is just a plaster on a broken system.”

Public Scepticism and Constitutional Concerns

The proposal quickly triggered strong reactions online, with some Zimbabweans questioning both the practicality and intent behind the suggestion.

One user challenged the logic behind the proposal, writing:

“How about we go back to the basics of the available constitution and do what it says?”

Another criticised the idea of early elections and called for upholding the constitution, saying:

“How about we go back to the basics of the available constitution and do what it says? We don’t seek a less divisive way, we seek to uphold a constitution that currently exists. It’s painful to say this to a lawyer.”

Debate Over Constitutional Amendments Intensifies

Nyambirai’s latest remarks come weeks after he shifted his legal position on the same constitutional changes.

On 19 February 2026, he acknowledged that the proposed amendments—particularly those affecting presidential terms—may require a national referendum.

At the time, he stated:

“If the summaries circulating are accurate, I struggle to see how the proposed changes could be effected without triggering a referendum under Section 328 of the Constitution.”

The proposed amendments include extending presidential terms from five to seven years and potentially allowing President Mnangagwa to remain in office until 2030.

These proposals have sparked ongoing national debate, with legal experts, politicians, and citizens weighing in on whether such changes can be implemented without direct public approval.

Nyambirai’s latest suggestion adds a new dimension to that debate, introducing the possibility of early elections as an alternative path forward.