In the wake of constitutional amendments passed last week, Zimbabwean activists are trying to organise a fight-back against what they see as an attempt by President Emmerson Mnangagwa and ZANU-PF to consolidate their hold on power.
The Constitutional Amendments, passed by the Senate last week, deleted requirements for the election of the presidential running mate, scrapped the age-limit for judges and empowered the president to appoint judges.
The amendments were carried by Zanu-PF with the support of some members of MDC-T.
Opponents of the move among the country’s civil society have launched a petition online entitled #ResistDictatorship, along with virtual protests.
Zimbabwe Human Rights Association director Dzikamai Bere said of the amendment: ‘May 4, 2021 was a tragic day for Zimbabwe as the Upper House passed Constitutional Amendment Bill Number 2, a deadly blow to constitutionalism in Zimbabwe.’
Musa Kika, executive director of the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, said: ‘A constitution cannot just be changed as if it is the code of conduct for a burial society.’
The campaign hopes to mobilise political resistance to the changes, to mount legal challenges and to make ZANU-PF’s actions an electoral issue in 2023.
Concerns have also been expressed that ZANU may be contemplating raising the age of presidential candidates from 40 to 52. This would make the MDC Alliance’s candidate Nelson Chimasa ineligible to stand.
[Photograph: Yeshiel Panchia/EPA]