Zimbabwe: President Mnangagwa Amends Legislation To Perpetuate His Reign
By Martins Agbonlahor They call him “The Crocodile” because of his ruthlessness and political chicanery. It is the latter that the President of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, recently employed stealthily to railroad his henchmen and the ruling ZANU-PF stalwarts into amending the country’s 2013 constitution and, for that very reason, to extend his reign and presidential term from five to seven years. Mnangagwa with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in January 2019 This brazen act, I must admit, offended my moral sensibilities and made my head spin like a cyclone. This was the same president who, having orchestrated the removal of former President Robert Mugabe in 2017, promised to maintain a clean slate, abide by the law, and ensure transparency in governance so that the ordinary people of Zimbabwe would have a “sense of belonging.” Now, the scales have fallen from our eyes to reveal a president who speaks with a forked tongue. The Zimbabwean president must rescind this act to restore the status quo ante. His current action is merely a dress rehearsal for something far worse. Moreover, he is setting a precedent—an ugly one at that—whether he acknowledges it or not. His successor will likely do the same with impunity, reasoning that “Mnangagwa once did so.” This is a sombre moment for Africa, as Asian countries excel in rocket science and send their citizens to the Moon. However, this poison injected into the bloodstream of African politics is not new – we either fail to learn from our mistakes or suffer from collective amnesia. The former Nigerian dictator, Sani Abacha, was notorious for mangling sections of our constitution with military fiat and unbridled zeal, as if there were no tomorrow. Like President Mnangagwa, he did so to support his tribesmen, his cronies, and sycophants. Another case in point was that of “Emperor” Jean-Bédel Bokassa, who discarded his country’s existing laws and proclaimed himself “Emperor Bokassa I” of the Central African Republic, while his citizens were dying in droves from hunger and waterborne diseases. Mobutu Sese Seko, formerly of Zaire, also partook in similar grisly theatrics, using public hangings and the brutal torture of opponents to terrorise those who dared to challenge his ignominious rule. But let’s take a pause here: where are they today—Mobutu, Abacha, Bokassa and their ilk? They lie discarded in the rubbish bin of history, their gravesites desecrated with spittle and faeces. Can’t you see the nitty-gritty of my argument—that power is not only ephemeral but transient? Can’t you see? To President Mnangagwa, I implore you to temper your cavalier attitude and leave a positive legacy for the future. Let genuine democracy prevail in Zimbabwe, allowing people to participate fully and freely in democratic processes, rather than being offered mere tokenistic involvement. You are paying heed to mere rashes, living the contagious pimples uncured – and you know this. Zimbabweans are living on less than a dollar a day amid extreme job shortages, not to mention the country’s crumbling infrastructure. This must occupy your attention if you are a president who knows his onions. I urge the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), the Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions (ZFTU), university students, and civil society groups to challenge this blatant injustice through non-violent means in the courts of law. Zimbabwe belongs to all its citizens and should not be subject to the whims of the president and his sanguinary henchmen. It is a foregone conclusion that President Mnangagwa is consumed by the arrogance of power and may employ unorthodox methods to suppress dissent. However, the battle is ultimately ours to wage, regardless of whether the president resorts to a sledgehammer or not. Great lizards are known to seek cracks in walls to make their abode. It is our sacred duty to ensure the walls remain cold and the lizards are kept at bay. Once again, I implore you, Mr President, to heed my pleas. Revert your so-called amendment to its original form and pay close attention to the ongoing crisis afflicting Zimbabwe. Martins Agbonlahor is a trained lawyer, journalist, author and criminologist. He resides in Greater Manchester, The United Kingdom.
Black News 
By Martins Agbonlahor
They call him “The Crocodile” because of his ruthlessness and political chicanery. It is the latter that the President of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, recently employed stealthily to railroad his henchmen and the ruling ZANU-PF stalwarts into amending the country’s 2013 constitution and, for that very reason, to extend his reign and presidential term from five to seven years.
Mnangagwa with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in January 2019
This brazen act, I must admit, offended my moral sensibilities and made my head spin like a cyclone. This was the same president who, having orchestrated the removal of former President Robert Mugabe in 2017, promised to maintain a clean slate, abide by the law, and ensure transparency in governance so that the ordinary people of Zimbabwe would have a “sense of belonging.” Now, the scales have fallen from our eyes to reveal a president who speaks with a forked tongue.
The Zimbabwean president must rescind this act to restore the status quo ante. His current action is merely a dress rehearsal for something far worse. Moreover, he is setting a precedent—an ugly one at that—whether he acknowledges it or not. His successor will likely do the same with impunity, reasoning that “Mnangagwa once did so.”
This is a sombre moment for Africa, as Asian countries excel in rocket science and send their citizens to the Moon. However, this poison injected into the bloodstream of African politics is not new – we either fail to learn from our mistakes or suffer from collective amnesia. The former Nigerian dictator, Sani Abacha, was notorious for mangling sections of our constitution with military fiat and unbridled zeal, as if there were no tomorrow. Like President Mnangagwa, he did so to support his tribesmen, his cronies, and sycophants.
Another case in point was that of “Emperor” Jean-Bédel Bokassa, who discarded his country’s existing laws and proclaimed himself “Emperor Bokassa I” of the Central African Republic, while his citizens were dying in droves from hunger and waterborne diseases. Mobutu Sese Seko, formerly of Zaire, also partook in similar grisly theatrics, using public hangings and the brutal torture of opponents to terrorise those who dared to challenge his ignominious rule.
But let’s take a pause here: where are they today—Mobutu, Abacha, Bokassa and their ilk? They lie discarded in the rubbish bin of history, their gravesites desecrated with spittle and faeces. Can’t you see the nitty-gritty of my argument—that power is not only ephemeral but transient? Can’t you see?
To President Mnangagwa, I implore you to temper your cavalier attitude and leave a positive legacy for the future. Let genuine democracy prevail in Zimbabwe, allowing people to participate fully and freely in democratic processes, rather than being offered mere tokenistic involvement. You are paying heed to mere rashes, living the contagious pimples uncured – and you know this. Zimbabweans are living on less than a dollar a day amid extreme job shortages, not to mention the country’s crumbling infrastructure. This must occupy your attention if you are a president who knows his onions.
I urge the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), the Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions (ZFTU), university students, and civil society groups to challenge this blatant injustice through non-violent means in the courts of law. Zimbabwe belongs to all its citizens and should not be subject to the whims of the president and his sanguinary henchmen. It is a foregone conclusion that President Mnangagwa is consumed by the arrogance of power and may employ unorthodox methods to suppress dissent. However, the battle is ultimately ours to wage, regardless of whether the president resorts to a sledgehammer or not. Great lizards are known to seek cracks in walls to make their abode. It is our sacred duty to ensure the walls remain cold and the lizards are kept at bay.
Once again, I implore you, Mr President, to heed my pleas. Revert your so-called amendment to its original form and pay close attention to the ongoing crisis afflicting Zimbabwe.
Martins Agbonlahor is a trained lawyer, journalist, author and criminologist. He resides in Greater Manchester, The United Kingdom.
