The
five
parties,
which
issued
a
joint
statement
on
Wednesday,
the
Progressive
Alliance
of
Mthwakazi
Unions
(PAMU),
Assembly
of
Minorities
(AM),
Mthwakazi
United
Party
(MUP),
Freedom
Alliance
and
the
Mayibuye
Peoples
Party
(MPP)
denounced
efforts
by
Zanu
PF
to
extend
Mnangagwa’s
term
beyond
2028,
describing
the
move
as
illegal,
politically
motivated
and
symptomatic
of
Zimbabwe’s
deepening
governance
crisis.
This
move
comes
amid
growing
national
debate
over
Zanu
PF’s
push
to
alter
Zimbabwe’s
Constitution
to
allow
Mnangagwa
to
remain
in
office
until
2030.
Last
year,
the
ruling
party
resolved
at
its
22nd
Annual
National
People’s
Conference
in
Mutare
to
begin
legal
steps
towards
extending
the
president’s
tenure,
instructing
the
government
to
draft
constitutional
and
legislative
amendments
to
effect
the
change.
Although
Zanu
PF
has
framed
the
proposal
as
necessary
to
safeguard
“stability”
and
align
leadership
with
the
national
Vision
2030
development
agenda,
critics
say
it
is
a
thinly
veiled
attempt
to
entrench
executive
power
and
undermine
term
limits
enshrined
in
the
Constitution.
The
Matabeleland-based
alliance
argues
that
the
2030
agenda
reflects
a
broader
pattern
in
which
constitutional
provisions
are
selectively
amended
to
serve
elite
political
interests.
PAMU
president,
Cosmas
Ncube,
said
the
proposed
amendment
is
both
illegal
and
unconstitutional,
as
Zimbabwe’s
Constitution
explicitly
bars
an
incumbent
president
from
benefiting
from
changes
to
term
limits.
“This
proposal
serves
the
narrow
self-interests
of
a
political
faction
rather
than
the
democratic
will
of
the
people,”
Ncube
said,
adding
that
extending
Mnangagwa’s
term
would
not
resolve
Zimbabwe’s
political,
economic
or
social
crises.
Ncube
called
on
citizens
to
engage
in
peaceful
but
active
civic
participation
to
defend
constitutionalism,
warning
democratic
erosion
has
become
normalised
in
Zimbabwe.
The
Assembly
of
Minorities
took
an
even
stronger
stance,
describing
the
manoeuvre
as
a
“constitutional
coup.”
AM
leader,
Chilumbo
Mudenda,
cited
Sections
91,
95
and
328
of
Zimbabwe’s
Constitution,
which
outline
presidential
term
limits
and
the
non-retrospective
application
of
constitutional
amendments.
“Zanu
PF’s
attempt
to
circumvent
these
provisions
is
unlawful,”
Mudenda
said.
“Citizens
do
not
need
to
wait
for
the
courts
to
intervene.
The
Constitution
already
provides
mechanisms
for
peaceful
protest
and
assembly
under
Sections
58
and
59.”
Mudenda
accused
senior
state
officials
including
Acting
Attorney
General
Virginia
Mabiza,
Speaker
of
Parliament
Jacob
Mudenda
and
Justice
Minister
Ziyambi
Ziyambi
of
driving
unconstitutional
changes,
declaring
their
actions
amounted
to
a
“declaration
of
war
on
the
people.”
These
political
groupings
also
indicated
that
their
opposition
to
the
2030
agenda
is
also
rooted
in
longstanding
grievances
over
political
exclusion,
underdevelopment
and
historical
injustices
in
Matabeleland.
Mthwakazi
United
Party
president
Bernard
Dube,
said
the
2030
agenda
fails
to
address
deep-rooted
structural
problems,
particularly
in
marginalised
regions.
“Without
genuine
democratic
and
electoral
reforms,
devolution
of
power,
economic
justice
and
accountability,
these
slogans
remain
symbolic
rather
than
transformative,”
Dube
said.
The
Freedom
Alliance
framed
the
debate
in
explicitly
liberationist
terms,
arguing
the
agenda
represents
a
continuation
of
domination
rather
than
development.
“The
so-called
2030
Agenda
is
not
a
national
vision
but
a
counter-liberation
project
designed
to
entrench
permanent
rule
over
Zimbabwean
nations,”
said
Freedom
Alliance
leader,
Presia
Ngulube.
Ngulube
highlighted
Matebeleland’s
history
of
political
repression,
economic
exploitation
and
silencing,
declaring
the
region’s
struggle
had
entered
a
“new
phase
of
national
liberation.”
“Unity
imposed
by
fear
or
hunger
is
not
unity,”
she
said.
The
Mayibuye
Peoples
Party
echoed
concerns
that
the
2030
agenda
prioritises
power
consolidation
over
citizens’
welfare.
MPP
president,
Zanele
Mguni
said
the
proposal
ignores
widespread
poverty,
corruption
and
regional
inequality.
“This
agenda
is
superficial
and
politically
driven.
It
does
not
speak
to
the
lived
realities
of
ordinary
Zimbabweans,”
she
said.
Mguni
said
any
credible
national
vision
must
restore
respect
for
the
Constitution,
strengthen
accountability
mechanisms,
provide
equitable
development
and
empower
citizens
to
meaningfully
participate
in
governance.
The
joint
statement
underscores
growing
unease
not
only
with
the
prospect
of
term
extension
but
also
with
what
critics
see
as
the
hollowing
out
of
democratic
institutions.
Zimbabwe
has
previously
amended
the
Constitution
to
extend
the
tenure
of
Chief
Justice
Luke
Malaba,
a
move
widely
criticised
as
setting
a
dangerous
precedent.
Observers
argued
that
same
logic
is
now
being
applied
to
the
presidency,
to
serve
the
whims
of
those
in
power.
Meanwhile,
while
the
five
movements
differ
ideologically
and
organisationally,
analysts
say
their
unity
reflects
mounting
frustration
in
Matabeleland
with
centralised
power
and
perceived
political
disregard.
“Whether
the
alliance
will
translate
into
coordinated
political
action
remains
to
be
seen,
considering
the
challenges
that
are
always
seen
in
the
opposition,
where
individual
egos
affect
progress,”
said
analyst
Mxolisi
Ncube,
when
interviewed
by
CITE.
However,
in
its
joint
statement,
the
five
Matabeleland
groups
say
their
unity
is
rooted
in
a
shared
commitment
to
defending
constitutionalism
and
democratic
governance.
“We
reaffirm
our
unity
in
defending
the
Constitution,
democratic
governance
and
the
genuine
interests
of
all
Zimbabweans,”
the
statement
reads.