Zimbabwe Authorities Detain Student Leaders Protesting Term Extension Amendment

Zimbabwean authorities have arrested, detained, and in some cases assaulted student leaders protesting a proposed constitutional amendment, according to a report by Human Rights Watch published on April 24, 2026. The amendment, known as Constitutional Amendment No.

3, would extend the terms of office for the president and members of parliament from five to seven years, postponing the 2028 elections until 2030. Student leaders from the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) have organized participation in public consultations on the proposal.

Human Rights Watch documented seven incidents involving student leaders. The organization called for authorities to respect freedom of expression and end attacks related to the protests.

March 30, 2026, in Bulawayo's Nketa suburb, Denford Sithole, 22, spoke against the amendment at a public consultation. Men in civilian clothes then confronted Sithole and Munashe Dongonda, 25, ZINASU's secretary general, along with two other students.

According to accounts provided to Human Rights Watch, the men dragged them outside, assaulted them, and forced Sithole into a white Toyota double-cabin vehicle. Sithole reported that the men drove him to an office building, where additional individuals interrogated and beat him, including hitting him on the head with an empty wine bottle.

They accused him of attempting to overthrow the government and inspected his bank records. After about six hours, they took him to Bulawayo Central Police Station, where he was charged with disorderly conduct, paid a US$30 fine, and was released. Sithole, a final-year engineering student, has suspended his studies and left Bulawayo due to concerns about surveillance.

On the same day in Bindura, Tafara Magodora, 23, a student leader at Bindura University of Science Education, was approached by three people in civilian clothes who forced him into a white Toyota vehicle without number plates. He reported being beaten during the drive before being taken to Bindura Central Police Station, where he was held for two days and charged with assault.

Magodora was released on bail with a court appearance scheduled for April 28, 2026. He has since left Bindura following warnings from suspected state security agents and has not attended classes.

April 14, 2026, police arrested Emmanuel Sitima, 24, former ZINASU president, and Takunda Mhuka, 24, a ZINASU provincial leader. ' A court denied them bail, and their next appearance is set for April 24, 2026. On April 15, 2026, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights reported a police raid on ZINASU's offices in Harare.

Ashlegh Pfunye, 28, ZINASU National Coordinator, described the raid as targeting the student movement. Some student leaders have gone into hiding or been suspended from university due to their opposition to the amendment. David Coltart, mayor of Bulawayo and former minister of education, stated that the actions against student leaders aim to discourage opposition to the amendment.

The government has not provided public statements on these specific incidents or the reasons for the detentions in the documented cases.