Lawmakers
from
the
ruling
ZANU-PF
party
in Zimbabwe are
moving
a
motion
to
further
criminalize
government
critics. They’re
advocating
for
a comprehensive
strategy
to
promote
patriotism
and
national
identity.
Proposed measures
include formalizing
a
national
ideology,
establishing
a
national
institute
of
ideology
and integrating
“patriotic” education
into
the
curriculum.
The
motion
comes
on
top
of the
contested
Patriotic
Act
of
2023,
which
was
seen
to effectively
closed
the
door
on
dissent
In
Zimbabwe.
It
makes
provision
for criticism
issues
such
as
provision
of
health
care,
basic
services
and
accountability
to
be
judged
criminal.
The
government
dismissed
criticism,
saying
the
legislation
was
necessary
to
hold
accountable
individuals
who
threaten
“national
interests.”
It
said
the
legislation
was
modeled
on
the
Logan
Act
in
the
US,
which
bars
citizens
from
engaging
in
certain
unauthorized
communications
with
foreign
governments.
In
Zimbabwe,
violations
could
result
in
life
imprisonment
and
death,
termination
of
citizenship,
suspension
from
voting
or
holding
public
office.
Another
layer
to
repressive
legislation
In
a
recent
parliamentary
debate,
ZANU-PF
MP
Ophious
Murambiwa
suggested
that
it
should
be
criminal
to
speak
“evil” about
Zimbabwe.
“The
most
important
issue
is
to
love
our
country,
let
us
praise
our
country
in
all
circumstances,
whether
in
good
or
bad
times,
during
the
night
or
day,”
Murambiwa
said.
The
motion
has
prompted
opposition
lawmakers
and
human
rights
groups
to
push back
harder.
“Patriotism
is
not
blind
loyalty.
It
is
not
empty
slogans.
True
patriots
question
injustice,
challenge
corruption
and
demand
systems
that
serve
people
not
a
selected
few,”
Prosper
Mutseyami,
an
opposition
MP,
said.
“Our
patriotism
must
ignite
participation,
ensuring
that
every
Zimbabwean
plays
an
active
role
in
shaping
the
future.”
Human
rights
activists
say
its
another
attempt
to
silence
dissent.
“You
cannot
necessarily
legislate
patriotism,”
Nigel
Nyamutumbu,
the
Media
Alliance
of
Zimbabwe
programs
manager,
told
DW.
“It
is
a
concept
that
can
naturally
clamp
down
on
the
requisite
freedoms.
Patriotism
is
not
a
legal
concept
but
rather
a
political
nationalist
ideology.”
Activists
have
in
the
past
been
accused
of
treason
and
unpatriotic
behavior
for
expressing
concerns
over
human
rights
abuses,
corruption,
and
governance
in
Zimbabwe.
Abuse
of
parliament
and
constitution
Citizens
have
expressed
concern
over what
they
fear
are
attempts
to
enforce
a
one-party
state.
ZANU-PF,
with
its
absolute
majority
in
parliament,
is
seen
to
be
abusing
its
authority
and
violating
the
constitution.
“As
parliamentarians
we
are
supposed
to
uphold
the
constitution,”
Gladys
Hlatshwayo
an
opposition
MP
told
DW.
“Section
119
of
the
constitution
demands
that
parliament
protects
the
constitution
and
democratic
governance.”
In
June
2025,
Zimbabwe’s
High
Court
struck
down
sections
of
the
Patriotic
Act.The
court
ruled
that
the
drastic
penalties
prescribed
by
the
Patriotic
Act
infringed
on
various
sections
of
the
country’s
constitution.
Several
civic
organizations
and
a
private
citizens
had
petitioned
the
court,
arguing
that the
legislation
was
overly
broad
and
vague
and
had
high
potential
for
abuse
and
misuse.
“The
most
patriotic
people
are
those
who
hold
their
government
to
account.
A
government
must
not
be
seen
as
the
most
dangerous
institution,”
Eric
Chisora,
a
political
analyst,
told
DW.
“Whatever
they
[ZANU-PF
lawmakers]
are
doing
is
unreasonable
and
irrational.
Citizens’
rights
must
be
protected.”
A
need
for
law
reforms
Political
and
civic
rights
activists are
calling
for
the
repeal
of
colonial
legacy
laws
which
they
say
are
retrogressive.
Laws
such
as
the
Criminal
Law
Codification
and
Reform
Act,
with
provisions
have
been
used
to
incriminate
government
critics,
date
back
to Zimbabwe’s
pre-independence
era when
they
were
used
to
suppress
Black
majority
rule.
The
activists
are
concerned
over
the
shrinking
of
democratic
space
under
Emmerson
Mnangagwa,
Zimbabwe’s
president
since
2018.
“We
are
now
living
in
a
country
where
there
is
no
freedom
of
expression
due
to
the
number
of
pieces
of
legislation
being
passed
by
the
ZANU-PF
regime,”
Blessing
Vava,
executive
director
of
the
Crisis
in
Zimbabwe
Coalition,
told
DW.
“When
you
see
a
government
passing
repressive
laws,
just
know
that
it
is
not
a
popular
government.
Zimbabweans
must
fight
to
defend
the
constitution.”
Eddy
Micah
Jr.
contributed
to
this
article.
Edited
by:
Benita
van
Eyssen
