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EU Clarifies Ambassador Hagemann Did Not Endorse Zimbabwe\u2019s Constitutional Amendment Bill<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
By A Correspondent \u2014 The European Union (EU) Delegation to Zimbabwe has moved to clarify remarks by the newly accredited EU Ambassador, Katrin Hagemann, after a state-run daily newspaper suggested she supported the country\u2019s proposed constitutional changes.<\/p>\n
On February 24, 2026, the newspaper published a report claiming Ambassador Hagemann had validated Zimbabwe\u2019s Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill of 2026 during her first \u201cMeet the Media\u201d session in Harare.<\/p>\n
The article cited her statements on global governance norms and referenced her home country, Germany, noting its lack of term limits and former Chancellor Angela Merkel\u2019s long tenure.<\/p>\n
The proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill seeks to extend presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years, introduce a parliamentary system for electing the President, and allow voting by Zimbabweans in the diaspora.<\/p>\n
The report concluded that the Ambassador appeared to find \u201cnothing amiss\u201d with the amendments. However, the EU Delegation quickly issued a statement to correct what it described as a \u201cmisleading interpretation\u201d of the Ambassador\u2019s comments.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe article did not accurately reflect Ambassador Hagemann\u2019s position,\u201d the EU Delegation said. \u201cHer remarks were intended to reaffirm that constitutional amendments are a sovereign prerogative of the Zimbabwean people, and that such changes must be undertaken in full compliance with the Constitution and the democratic will of the citizens.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Delegation emphasized that the Ambassador\u2019s comments were not an endorsement of the bill itself.<\/p>\n
\u201cAmbassador Hagemann\u2019s statements were about respecting constitutional processes and democratic legitimacy, not about supporting any specific proposal,\u201d the statement added.<\/p>\n
Officials noted that while constitutional reforms are within the rights of any sovereign state, they must adhere strictly to the principles of legality, transparency, and popular consent.<\/p>\n
This clarification seeks to separate the EU\u2019s position from local media interpretations and reaffirm that Ambassador Hagemann\u2019s remarks were aimed at highlighting constitutional fidelity rather than political endorsement.<\/p>\n
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