The past few weeks have been saturated by irritations of uncertainty in the corridors of power in the ruling party and as normal the country at large as to what will become of the Zanu PF conference and resolutions therein, the noise largely played out on social media as chief among the matter people were keenly keeping wide open eyes on was the supposed extension of the incumbent’s tenure of office to 2030 despite the fact that elections are due for August 2028.
The Manicaland conference, a platform that by law must formulate policies for onward forwarding to the government for consideration was turned into some mini-congress as resolutions having a bearing on the leadership nexus in Zanu Pf were said to have been reached and seeks to extend Mr. Mnangagwa’s term as President to 2030 and that means the ball to start the legally complicated process has been rolled as spearheaded by one Mr. Ziyambi the party Secretary for Legal Affairs instructing one Mr Ziyambi Ziyambi (himself) the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. Growing up the East has always been associated with wisdom as the adage goes, “Wisemen from the East” but in the current political context no one can be mistaken to say that wisdom seems to have long departed by the time the conference begun in the Eastern town of Mutare.
So ZANU-PF simply proved that there is never going to be new tricks for the old dog, the continuous violation of the constitution poses not only a socio-economic threat for a country that’s already reeling from the brazen corruption but it’s in itself a security risk that may plunge the country into an abyss. The most tragedy however is the infighting has nothing for the ordinary Zimbabwean, especially the young people, it is a tussle on who gets to control the table of systemic looting and plunder of the country’s vast resources. ZANU-PF in all its factions wants to cling to power by all means necessary so that a few elite can continue to benefit whilst the rest languish in poverty.
Amidst all this the traditional opposition forces have all been systematically weakened be it through the clear backing of political stooges like Sengezo Tshabangu or the fast racked PVO bill that targets CSOs. Political stooges and imposters lack both the moral and political capital as such they are more than willing to extend the anguish being felt by the generality of Zimbabweans and are open to getting into bed with the ZANU-PF faction that is pushing for the wholesome extension of all public offices due for expiry in 2028 to 2030, be it Parliamentarians, Local Government Councilors.
Apart from the open political stooges we also have victims of a failing economy who are also tempted to go onto the 2030 voyage of doom, for them public office has brought about some comfort and feel insulated from the worst vagaries of the economic decay brought about by the ruining party. So these are the potential political enablers of the misplaced intend to bastardise the constitution if it ever has to go through parliament proceedings. Not to be left out are the notoriously corrupt pseudo business oligarchs as led by the money splashing boys and their political lapdogs.
However against all the ills raised above the struggle for democracy in Zimbabwe has been long and a few gains however little they seem have been realised, the 2013 Constitution ranks as one such little gain which must never be tempered with no matter how drunk or insane a person/ people get but must be fully implemented through aligning laws to it.
Now is the time for progressive forces especially the youth to stop the argonising and start organising for real organic ground action, consientising the masses of the bleak future that lays ahead of us all if the decapitation of the constitution continues unabated. Yesteryear youths were victims after calling for the respect of rule of law and the Constitution. They did not grow weary, the majority of the people who fought for the liberation of this country were young people driven by the prospects of a brighter and just future, they never tired but kept going and many paid the ultimate prize, sadly some few of such driven by greed and the lust for power have now turned into modern day oppressors and have sought to dim the flame of liberation.
Even in post-independent Zimbabwe many in their youthful days the likes of Prof Madhuku, Adv. Nelson Chamisa, Professor Arthur Mutambara, Munyaradzi Gwisai, Job Wiwa Sikhala , Gladys Hlatswayo , Tendai Biti and many fought tooth and nail to make sure the liberation promise of a better future for all must be realised amidst the brutality of the ZANU PF regime. Though these towering figures will always be in the fight for that dream to be realised, now is the time for those young people that the late Vice President Joshua Nkomo prophesised about when he said, “The country will not die because the young people will save it”, to stand up not only to save but serve what’s left of the country.
The revolutionary mandate now largely rests on the shoulders of the young people of today, the youths who constitute the larger chunk of the population. The youths who are the worst affected by unemployment. The youths who are the direct victims of social ills like drug abuse and prostitution. The Youths who graduate and still stay with their parents to get a meal from their pension which will be peanuts. These are the same youths that use their one American dollar to buy data so as to follow social hashtags whilst the Chinese are busy squandering resources and destroying the environment, killing fellow countrymen and paying peanuts as compensation. These are the same youths whose future is about to be destroyed by a few people who sat down in Mutare singing a so loud melancholic hymn of the death of the Motherland. The call for “2030” must be resisted by all means necessary.
I have worked with young people from across the country and still believe if the clarion call is made the young can organize themselves to fight for the motherland. Zimbabwe is for is all and the bourgeoisie tendencies by a privileged few must not see the day anymore. Only if young people organize themselves on the ground and be ready to resist any mutilation of the Zimbabwean Constitution. They must be prepared to fight this politically and if need be use their last breath on the referendum, that is if ZANU-PF pushes for that. Until then our voices will remain loud for we believe Zimbabwe shall be great again. For Thomas Sankara once said, “We must choose either Champagne for a few or Safe Drinking Water for All”, Zimbabweans know very well that elections are set for 2028 and nothing will change that. The Zimbabwean Constitution is sacrosanct. #NO TO 2030. #ORGANISEDONTARGONISE
Shepherd Scotch Sithole “de Shepoh Zvamapungu Chimbugwi” is a Zimbabwean based Human Rights Activist. Writing in his Own Capacity.
