Human rights advocate Zvaringeni Samuel Chasi has called on the Commonwealth to postpone Zimbabwe’s readmission until the country demonstrates a genuine commitment to upholding human rights and democratic principles.
In an open letter addressed to the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Chasi urged the organisation to defer Zimbabwe’s application to rejoin the Commonwealth.
He argued that the ZANU-PF-led government has consistently dismantled key pillars of democratic governance to maintain its grip on power.
Chasi cited the November 2017 military coup, carried out under the banner of “Operation Restore Legacy”, which removed long-time leader Robert Mugabe and installed Emmerson Mnangagwa as president.
He said the takeover blatantly violated both the 2013 Constitution of Zimbabwe and the ruling party’s own constitution.
He also raised concerns over repeated public statements by senior military officials, who have declared they would not recognise or salute any political leader who lacks liberation war credentials. This, he argued, is a direct affront to democratic norms and the principle of civilian leadership.
Chasi further argued that Zimbabwe has repeatedly failed to meet the standards for free and fair elections, as outlined in international charters, including the United Nations Charter.
He referenced reports from observer missions representing the Commonwealth, African Union, European Union, and SADC, which have documented widespread electoral irregularities, ranging from 23 to 70 percent in recent elections.
These irregularities include acts of violence, enforced disappearances, missing ballots, “ghost” polling stations, and office raids, all occurring in an environment he described as deeply autocratic and lacking in transparency.
He also condemned the enactment of repressive legislation, including the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (2019), the Patriotic Act (2023), and the Cyber and Data Protection Act, arguing that such laws are used to stifle dissent and silence opposition voices.
Chasi asserted that the Commonwealth should not compromise its founding values by readmitting Zimbabwe prematurely, and should instead wait for demonstrable reforms and a clear respect for democratic principles and human rights. He wrote:
There is no relevance of political parties as the antagonistic system is the major challenge with mono-coverage on media engulfing parties, activists and electorate.
The dichotomy concubine opposition is in coercion to formation of coalition to defer elections to 2033 by a 10-year delay from an illegitimate 23-24 August 2023 Harmonized Elections via the bogus illegitimate 10th Parliament joint resolution with violations to Electoral Act, UN Resolution 36/9 and ICC Rome Statute Article 25.
Multi-party democracy is undermined by theatricality and deception to the electorate with redundant parliament failure to uphold the constitution.
In humpty dumpty fallout, opposition syndicate participated in 2018 and 2023 Harmonized Elections without reforms or raising alarms in remedy to Constitutional Court, SADC 44th Summit or Extra-Ordinary, 79thUN Session or 27th CHOGM Session.
Syndicate legislators received hefty packages of US$40,000 loans and US$60,000 cars per term while the Baal judges are handsomely rewarded $400,000 to secure loyalty a ricochet to rendering opposition non-existent.
In buffet looting ,the same legislators hoodwinked to Mnangagwa Precab Farm have no single impeachment effort hence been in revision awarded residential stands from 8th ,9th and 10th Parliament as janitors to extend their terms to 2030 to scrapping of the 2028 elections along with a US$200,000 package in sabotage against Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa impeachment.
Chasi said before Zimbabwe can be readmitted to the Commonwealth, civilian governance must be fully restored, and all electoral processes, including voter registration, the voters’ roll, delimitation, the nomination court, and ballot printing, must be conducted transparently. He said:
Paramount is reduction of presidential term from 5 to 4 years each term with maximum of 2 with eligibility revised from 40 to 21 and bar those over 65 from public office per Section 56.
The Septuagenarian Senate reintroduced in 2005 from 1989 to delay impeachment process must be abolished including the disbandment of harmonized elections with an inclusivity to promote quotas for women, youth and PWD’s quota for fair candidacy.
Chasi also argued that the key to fostering non-partisan and inclusive governance lies in the implementation of independent reforms across critical sectors, including the media, health, education, and security services. He added:
ZEC is composed of nepotism appointees in a lumberjack puked system with military figures with breaches to Sections 58 & 239 of 2013 Constitution.
There should be an overhaul of laws from the appointment of Service Chiefs and Director of Intelligence Services to ensure transparency with public interviews and retraining of personnel with rehabilitation of colonial courses to integration with diploma/degree international standard protocols.
Chasi also intimated that the National Youth Service training programme and the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology should be disbanded, criticising their extension into schools through the compulsory recitation of national pledges.
He argued that these practices reflect the ideology of a de facto one-party state and constitute a violation of Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which upholds the right to education free from political indoctrination.
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