PF’s chilling law gets thumbs down
ule to the constitution, which provides for disqualification for registration as a voter only if a person has been convicted under the Electoral Act,” ZLHR said.
“Revocation of citizenship can only be done in terms of section 39 of the constitution of Zimbabwe, and conviction for so-called unpatriotic conduct is not a ground for revocation in terms of section 39 of the constitution.”
Meanwhile, Citizens Coalition for Change spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere described the bill as "dangerous and unconstitutional," and said ZanuPF is trying to gain an advantage in the August 23 general election.
“The bill violates sundry constitutional rights and freedoms including freedom of association, freedom of expression, political rights and others," Mahere said.
“Zanu-PF has reduced our great nation into an outpost of tyranny.
“They are clearly in panic mode as we approach an election and on an unbridled crusade to close the democratic space completely in Zimbabwe.”
Mahere said Zanu PF cannot win a free and fair election in Zimbabwe.
"So what we have seen is ZanuPF retaliating with repressive legislation, with the weaponisation of the law.
“Frankly, no amount of panic despotism by Zanu-PF will stand in the way of change whose time has come," Mahere said..
Introducing the bill in parliament in December last year, Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said the bill sought to prohibit private citizens from making false statements or undermining the country, or acting as self-appointed ambassadors meeting foreign officials to undermine national interests.
Musa Kika, a constitutional lawyer who heads the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, said it will be unfortunate if Mnangagwa signed the bill into law.
"This is an unconstitutional law. It infringes on all sorts of civil and political rights that the constitution gives," Kika said.
"In my estimation, this bill is the most draconian law that we have seen in independent Zimbabwe.
“If this law is [passed and signed], obviously it will be challenged in the court of law.
“If not all of it, then the significant part of it because the bill is manifestly and patently unconstitutional."
Mnangagwa has been criticised for failing to keep his promises to return Zimbabwe to a democratic path after taking over from the late Robert Mugabe following a military coup in 2017.
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition spokesperson Obert Masaraure said Mnangagwa was worse than Mugabe.
“Mnangagwa has proven to be a worse dictator than Robert Mugabe and even one of the worst in the world,” Masaraure said.
“His eyes are on power retention, the term reform is thrown around to try and deceive the international community.
“We are now trapped in a hellhole as Mnangagwa closes all democratic space.
“It's high time citizens come together and demand our Zimbabwe back.”
The 80-year-old ruler is accused of closing the democratic space as he pushes for a second full term, which should be his last in terms of the constitution.
He is facing a stiff challenge from CCC leader Nelson Chamisa in the August polls at a time the economy is in trouble due to rampaging inflation and a currency crisis.
A poll by a London-based public relations organisation, the SABI Strategy Group, that was commissioned by the South African Brenthurst Foundation late last year, said 53%of respondents said they would vote for the 45 year-old Chamisa while 40 %said they would vote for the incumbent.
An Afrobarometer survey in February this year said the opposition enjoyed a four point advantage (48%) over the ruling Zanu PF (44%) in voting preferences.