By Rutendo Matinyarare
Contrary to what most people think, we don’t want a coup in Zimbabwe because coups are bad for business. They lead to a nation being sanctioned by the AU, SADC, and the UN, which would cause the country to lose its improving global image and economic attractiveness.
However, where political instability is caused by a power grab or greed, a coup may be the only means to reset and avert civil unrest.
To prevent further instability under President Mnangagwa’s CAB3 power grab, civilian governance systems must demonstrate responsibility and leadership that puts the nation before selfish interests. This is needed to avert the military having to fill a leadership vacuum created by the current leadership’s greed and self-centeredness. What would this look like?
1. 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Instead of trying to rubber-stamp the CAB3 process to secure bribes and/or a term extension without a referendum, MPs must honestly interrogate whether the CAB3 process—from consultations through to the vote for a presidential term extension without a referendum—has been constitutional.
2. 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁’𝘀 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲: Parliament must then vote in line with the constitutionality of the process, their constituencies’ demands, an outlook to protect the Constitution, and the interest of maintaining peace in the nation.
3. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁: The Constitutional Court must stop withholding judgment on the case filed by war veterans on whether CAB3 is constitutional. Its delay in delivering judgment is creating uncertainty and instability because the Court has failed to decide a very simple constitutional question.
If civilian leadership fails to lead, then a coup becomes inevitable. If it does happen, those who caused the crisis by not upholding the Constitution must be held accountable.
