Opposition parties and legal experts want Chiwenga to be charged for breaching the Constitution

Legal experts and opposition parties want Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander Constantino Chiwenga charged for breaching Section 211 of the Constitution, which requires him to act in a non-partisan manner. This comes after Chiwenga reportedly referred to Zanu PF as “our party” during a military parade held at One Commando Barracks in honour of the late national hero, Brigadier General James Murozvi on Tuesday.

Speaking to NewsDay, legal expert and researcher, Dereck Matyszak said Chiwenga had abused a national event to further the interests of a political party and should be charged.  MDC-T spokesperson, Obert Gutu said military personnel were hugely compromised and said his party has heard reports from rural areas that serving military personnel were being absorbed into Zanu PF structures ahead of the general elections next year.

People’s Democratic Party spokesperson, Jacob Mafume said Chiwenga is a partisan general who wants to turn the Zimbabwe Defence Forces into a Zanu PF youth wing. Zimbabwe People First co-leader and former Intelligence minister, Didymus Mutasa said Chiwenga should be forgiven for being myopic as he knows nothing beyond Zanu-PF. MDC spokesperson, Kurauone Chihwayi advised Chiwenga to remove the people’s military fatigue and join Zanu PF.