Monday 16 March 2026
Zim GBC News | Political Correspondent<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bulawayo \u2013 Tensions escalated sharply on Saturday when suspected hired thugs disrupted a Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Women’s Assembly meeting in Bulawayo, stoning attendees and forcing the cancellation of a subsequent press briefing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The meeting, held at the party’s provincial offices, was convened to discuss the controversial Constitutional Amendment Number 3\u2014which proposes extending the presidential term from five to seven years\u2014and to commemorate International Women’s Day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
MDC president Douglas Mwonzora took to social media to confirm the attack, alleging that the assailants explicitly targeted the gathering due to the party’s opposition to the constitutional changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Some hired thugs are currently attacking the MDC Women Assembly meeting at the Provincial Offices in Bulawayo. The women are commemorating the International Women’s Day. The attackers made it clear that they are against the party stance on (Constitutional) Amendment 3,” Mwonzora posted on X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He further alleged that police officers present at the scene failed to intervene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The police are standing and watching while thugs are pelting members of the MDC Women’s Assembly with stones at a meeting\u2026 This is retribution for our stance on 2030 agenda,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Mwonzora, the group of about 20 suspected ZANU-PF supporters attempted to force their way into the venue where Women’s Assembly chairperson Constance Chihururu and national organiser for women Nomatter Munyayi were addressing members .<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The group that attacked the MDC sometime last year is the one that came, only that they were more than the people that attacked us. They were about 20,” Mwonzora later told reporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“They tried to get in to disturb the meeting held by the Women’s Assembly\u2026 So the Zanu-PF people came and attacked the meeting in the presence of the police. The police did nothing. There were more than 13 police details but they did not do anything, they just kept quiet and let things happen” .<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Police later instructed MDC members to disperse from the venue before 2 pm, forcing the cancellation of a scheduled press briefing. When journalists arrived, police vehicles and officers remained stationed outside while onlookers gathered .<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pattern of Intimidation<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Saturday’s attack follows a series of similar incidents targeting opponents of Constitutional Amendment Number 3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On March 1, armed men wearing balaclavas stormed the Harare offices of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), assaulting party leader and constitutional lawyer Professor Lovemore Madhuku and other members during a meeting . Madhuku was beaten with baton sticks, leaving visible welts on his back . Witnesses reported that uniformed police officers remained outside during the attack .<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Constitutional Defenders Forum (CDF), led by Tendai Biti, has also faced harassment. On March 5, armed men reportedly besieged Biti’s law offices, assaulting occupants and issuing death threats . Days earlier, two NCA members were abducted, blindfolded, tortured, and later dumped without clothes in Highlands .<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Human Rights Watch has condemned what it describes as an intensified crackdown against critics of the term extension, noting that unidentified armed men have threatened, harassed, and beaten several people opposed to the proposed constitutional changes .<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Amnesty International Zimbabwe’s Executive Director, Lucia Masuka, called the attack on Madhuku “a blatant violation of the rights to personal security, freedom of expression, and peaceful assembly,” and urged authorities to investigate .<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mwonzora vowed that the MDC would not be deterred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We know this is an attempt by them to stop our fight against 2030 but we will not be deterred, we will not be perturbed, we will not relent. We will continue to fight against this injustice,” he said .<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Authorities had not issued an official response regarding the Bulawayo incident at the time of publication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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