HARARE – Self-imposed Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) interim secretary general Sengezo Tshabangu has claimed that Parliament welcomes the extension of the presidential term, despite widespread opposition among citizens.
His remarks come as ZANU-PF pushes ahead with efforts to amend the Constitution to include clauses that would permit President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s continued tenure.
Posting on his X account, Tshabangu said Parliament was not resisting the move.
“The Parliament of Zimbabwe, which I am a part of, welcomes any move that benefits Zimbabweans in the long term. Whether it’s a constitutional amendment to extend its life or the President’s term, we’re prepared to consider it, as long as it’s in the best interests of our citizens,” he said.
Tshabangu’s comments coincide with calls from civic groups aligned to the ruling party’s Vision 2030 agenda for the revival of a one-party state ideology.
The Civic Society and Churches Joint Forum (CSCJF), led by Abigale Mupambi, has urged Parliament to move beyond the temporary Vision 2030 framework and adopt a permanent one-party state.
In a statement, CSCJF coordinator Max Mkandla argued that opposition politics has failed Zimbabweans, noting that elections have consumed vast resources while ZANU-PF has remained in power for 45 years.
“Since ZAPU and ZANU joined in unity in 1987, we have not had any serious opposition that can unseat ZANU-PF. Elections are a grand waste of time and we better abandon the fake democracy,” Mkandla said.
He added that while the MDC under the late Morgan Tsvangirai and Gibson Sibanda had posed a stronger challenge, the party’s fragmentation has left no serious opposition capable of replacing ZANU-PF.
Mkandla said CSCJF’s proposal for a one-party state was based on an analysis of the current political landscape, pointing to defections to ZANU-PF as evidence of the opposition’s weakness.
Mupambi’s recent call for a one-party state has sparked public outcry, with critics accusing her of betraying democratic principles. ZANU-PF first conceived the idea of a one-party state in the period leading up to independence.
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Source – Byo24News
