Togarepi rejects secret ballot on Constitutional Amendment No. 3 vote

Togarepi rejects secret ballot on Constitutional Amendment No. 3 vote

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Zanu PF Chief Whip Pupurai Togarepi says Members of Parliament should vote openly on Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3, arguing that MPs elected on party tickets have a duty to publicly defend and account for their parties’ positions during major constitutional votes.

In an interview with ZiFM Stereo News Digital Editor Anesu Masamvu, Togarepi said open voting is consistent with parliamentary practice and allows citizens to see where political parties and individual MPs stand on one of the most contested constitutional debates in recent years.

Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 has completed the 90-day public consultation process required under Section 328 of the Constitution and is now moving towards the stages in Parliament where a final vote is expected. Zanu PF holds more than 190 seats in the National Assembly, giving it numbers above the two-thirds threshold needed to amend the Constitution.

The push for a secret ballot has been raised by critics who argue that open voting can expose MPs to party pressure and limits independent judgement on constitutional changes. Togarepi rejected that view, saying the legislature has not relied on secrecy when passing constitutional amendments.

“This is important so that the public understands where the party stands,” Togarepi said. “Have you ever seen political parties or MPs in Parliament voting through secret ballots? These are political parties. MPs are elected on party lists and openly express their positions. There is nothing to hide.”

He added that MPs with different views should state them openly rather than seek what he described as protection through secrecy. “If you hold a different position from others, then you should express it publicly,” he said. “If you are representing a certain section of society with a different view, why would you want to hide it? Unless there is something questionable about it.”

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Togarepi also argued that constitutional voting should not be treated as an exceptional process because of the controversy around the proposed changes. “We have never used secret ballots before. This is not the first constitutional amendment,” he said. “We have passed many constitutional amendments before, and we can not suddenly make this one unique simply because some people have their own agendas.”

He maintained that MPs do not enter Parliament as independent actors, but as representatives of political organisations. “MPs go to Parliament on party tickets. They do not simply go there independently,” Togarepi said. “When a political party adopts a position, that position is communicated through its MPs.”

Linking Zanu PF’s parliamentary majority to what he called democratic legitimacy, Togarepi said the ruling party’s numbers reflect the will of voters in the 2023 elections. “The party position is not merely the party’s position. It is also the position of the majority,” he said.

He further argued that Zanu PF MPs who vote against the party line would be acting outside the mandate of those who voted for them. “The moment they vote against a Zanu PF position, they are no longer representing the majority of Zimbabweans. They are representing themselves,” he said.

On the broader rationale for constitutional changes, Togarepi suggested amendments are justified where existing systems are seen as obstructing national development. “If repeated elections interfere with the interests and development aspirations of Zimbabweans, then certainly we must amend the Constitution,” he said.

He also insisted that Zanu PF’s MPs are united ahead of the vote, saying they participated in internal party processes that shaped the proposals before the Bill reached Parliament. “Yes, our members are united. There is no division,” he said, adding that discussions around aspects of the proposed amendment date back to around 2002.

The remarks underline Zanu PF’s intention to marshal its parliamentary majority openly as Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 proceeds through the National Assembly, while rejecting calls for a secret ballot and defending party discipline as central to how MPs should vote on constitutional reforms.

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