POLITICS OR POWER? ZIMBABWE’S BIGGEST FIGHT RIGHT NOW

Zimbabwe is facing a big problem in politics. People are now asking if the law is really being followed. At the center of this issue is an opposition activist called Sengezo Tshabangu. He and his group are being accused of helping Zanu PF weaken the opposition party, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC). Many believe they are doing this for their own benefit. This has made people question if the law is being respected and if the courts are really independent.

The problem started when Members of Parliament and senators were removed from their positions. Tshabangu’s group is behind this. They say what they did is legal because they sent their letters before a court order stopped them. The letters were sent on November 10, 2023, but the announcement of the removals happened later. By the time the removals were made public, the court had already given an order stopping such actions. This means the removals ignored the court order. Many people see this as breaking the law.

In Zimbabwe, removing a politician from office is not supposed to be personal. It must follow clear legal steps. But in this case, it looks like the decision was made to help Zanu PF and to create problems in CCC. Some people believe this was done to take advantage of CCC’s own internal fights.

One person who made things worse is Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda. His lawyer, Shingirai Hoko, advised him not to go ahead with the removals. However, Mudenda still did it. This happened even after the court had stopped such actions. The court had asked Mudenda, Senate President Mabel Chinomona, and Local Government Minister Winston Chitando to wait until the matter was decided. But they did not listen.

CCC has now taken the case to court. The party is being represented by lawyer Obey Shava. Tshabangu has his own lawyer, Lewis Uriri. Mudenda and Chinomona are being defended by Hoko. But Chitando was not involved much because no local councillors were removed.

So far, 18 lawmakers have been removed. Their removal is now under review by the court. The court will listen to both sides on November 20. This is an important case. It shows how difficult politics in Zimbabwe can be. Sometimes, it is hard to tell if things are done legally or if they are just part of a political game.

Justice Tawanda Chitapi had given a clear order that no removals should happen until the case is fully heard. He said everything should wait until November 20. But Tshabangu and his group ignored this and went ahead with their plan. This has made many people worried about whether Zimbabwe’s courts still have power. If people do not respect the courts, then who is really in charge?

Now, many Zimbabweans are waiting to see what happens on November 20. Will the court be able to stop this? Or will the politicians continue to do what they want? This case is not just about one political party. It is about whether Zimbabwe’s laws still work or if power is the only thing that matters. Whatever happens, this will be a big lesson for Zimbabwe’s democracy.