Zimbabwe opposition leader granted bail amid growing tensions over constitutional changes

By Rédaction Africanews and AP

Political tensions are rising in Zimbabwe. Opposition leader Tendai Biti has been granted bail after spending the weekend in detention. He was arrested near the Mozambique border alongside an activist, accused of holding a public meeting without notifying authorities.

A court in Mutare released both on $500 bail, with orders to report to police every two weeks.

But this case is part of a bigger story. Zimbabwe is facing growing unrest over proposed constitutional changes that could extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rule beyond 2028 and shift presidential elections from a public vote to parliament.

Mnangagwa, who came to power in 2017 after Robert Mugabe stepped down, is already serving his second term under the current constitution.

Critics say the proposed changes threaten democracy and accuse authorities of intimidation, abductions, and repression. The ruling ZANU-PF party denies wrongdoing, but frustration is mounting as many say economic challenges and corruption remain unresolved.

For many Zimbabweans, this moment is about more than one arrest. It is about the future of how the country is governed.