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Harare, Zimbabwe — <\/span>HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) – zimbabwe<\/a> The main rival has been taken into custody Planned constitutional amendment<\/a> This will extend the rule of the 83-year-old President of the country and this post will be elected not by the people, but by the Parliament. Former finance minister Tendai Biti was to appear in court on Monday.<\/p>\n This is the highest profile detention so far of critics of the effort to allow President Emmerson Mnangagwa<\/a> To extend his rule by two years, ending in 2028. In recent months police have banned meetings or arrested people gathering to express protest.<\/p>\n Beatty leads the Constitutional Protector Forum, a group campaigning against the amendments. CDF spokesperson Jacob Rukweza said Biti and program director Morgan Ncube are accused of organizing a public meeting without notifying police. He was detained in the eastern city of Mutare on Saturday.<\/p>\n There was no comment from Zimbabwean officials. But in the past he has rejected the allegations against him Democratic promises are eroding<\/a> improved after decades of rule<\/a> By former leader Robert Mugabe.<\/p>\n Mnangagwa<\/a>who came to power later a popular military coup<\/a> In 2017 against Mugabe, he has said that he will step down when his second term ends in 2028.<\/p>\n But Mnangagwa has not publicly resisted pressure from his ruling ZANU-PF party to extend his term. His cabinet approved the amendment proposal in February before sending it to Parliament, where the ruling party has a majority.<\/p>\n The proposed changes would postpone elections until 2030, allow the president to be elected by parliament rather than by popular vote and extend the terms of both the president and members of parliament from five to seven years.<\/p>\n Beatty and other critics say that any amendment expanding the presidential term must be approved in a referendum. But Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi and Mnangagwa’s supporters say parliament can pass the changes without amendments because the two-term limit will remain in place, even though the terms will be longer.<\/p>\n Protests have grown, and challenges have been filed in the courts. But physical meetings have become increasingly risky. Amnesty International described the arrests as “an escalating crackdown on peaceful dissent”.<\/p>\n Earlier this month, law professor and opposition leader Lovemore Madhuku was hospitalized after being beaten by unidentified men who claimed they were police officers following a party meeting on the proposed changes. Police denied involvement, saying the gathering had been banned.<\/p>\n Last year, the offices of the think tank SAPES Trust were set on fire just hours before it was to hold a press conference by opponents of the amendments.<\/p>\n