On the International Day of Democracy, a regional watchdog formally condemned Zimbabwe's constitutional amendments — signed into law by President Mnangagwa in July — as a quiet dismantling of the democratic compact. By extending terms from five to seven years, postponing elections, and replacing the popular vote with parliamentary selection, Zimbabwe has shifted the architecture of power in ways that serve the incumbent rather than the governed. The Southern Africa Coalition for Democracy and Accountability warns that when constitutions bend to those who hold power rather than constrain them,