The
activists
(names
withheld
to
protect
their
identities)
are
part
of
the
Mapfungautsi
Constitutional
Hub
established
in
2022
with
the
sole
objective
of
raising
Constitutional
awareness
and
increasing
citizen
agency
in
terms
of
protecting
the
constitution.
Of
late,
ZANU
PF
has
launched
spirited
attacks
on
pro
democracy
forces
opposed
to
the
extension
of
Mnangagwa’s
stay
in
office
and
a
host
of
amendments
that
analysts
say
are
meant
to
usurpe
the
constitution,
adopted
in
2013,
and
entrench
authoritarian
rule.
The
clampdown
on
pro-democracy
forces
opposed
to
the
constitutional
amendments,
which
also
seek
to
compel
the
military
to
act
in
accordance
(rather
than
uphold)
the
constitution
has
cascaded
to
grassroots
level
ahead
of
public
hearings
on
the
Constitutional
Amendment
Bill
Number
3
set
to
begin
on
March
30.
This
is
part
of
a
calculated
attempt
to
instill
fear
and
compel
citizens
to
desist
from
opposing
the
Bill
during
the
public
hearings.
Senior
politicians
including
law
Professor,
Lovemore
Madhuku
and
opposition
politician
Tendai
Biti
and
other
activists
have
been
subjected
to
various
forms
of
torture
and
terror.
Grassroots
activists
have
not
been
spared.
“Initially,
we
were
being
threatened
by
Zanu
PF
activists
in
our
area
of
Mapfungautsi
until
we
started
receiving
anonymous
calls
with
the
callers
threatening
us
with
death.
After
that,
we
then
received
night
visits
but
fortunately
we
had
fled
our
homes
because
we
were
well
aware
of
what
would
happen
to
us
especially
during
this
period.
For
now,
the
situation
is
not
okay
for
us
ro
return
to
our
area.
We
will
wait
maybe
until
the
public
hearings
end,”
said
one
of
the
activists.
Civil
society
organisations
in
Zimbabwe
are
on
high
alert
as
violence
against
prodemocracy
forces
escalate
during
this
period
with
activists
calling
for
various
forms
of
support
in
light
of
the
persecution
from
state
security
agents
and
ZANU
PF
supporters.
The
current
period
in
Zimbabwe
has
proved
to
be
a
time
of
victimisation
of
prodemocracy
activists
as
ZANU
PF
is
bent
on
consolidating
authoritarian
rule
at
all
costs.
Gokwe
is
one
of
Zimbabwe’s
political
hotspots
which
has
recorded
numerous
cases
of
murder,
torture
and
arbitrary
arrests
of
opposition
and
pro-democracy
forces.
We
implore
the
ruling
party,
ZANU
PF
to
desist
from
persecuting
pro-democracy
forces
and
allow
citizens
to
freely
express
themselves.
The
Constitution
of
Zimbabwe
is
a
sacrosanct
document
adopted
through
a
constitutional
referendum
in
2013
and
aptly
expresses
the
will
of
the
people
of
Zimbabwe.
As
such
this
supreme
document
should
never
be
tempered
with
for
purposes
of
selfish
political
gains
and
consolidating
authoritarian
rule.
Issued
by
Mapfungautsi
Constitutional
Hub