Toys Out of the Pram Over MP’s Visit to Mnangagwa’s Farm

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A recent field tour of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Precabe Farm in Kwekwe by a faction of opposition Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) lawmakers has ignited widespread condemnation across Zimbabwe’s political landscape.

The tour, led by self-proclaimed CCC interim secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu, saw opposition MPs openly endorsing Mnangagwa’s contentious bid to extend his presidency beyond the constitutional two-term limit, which expires in 2028.

The event featured prominent CCC members, including Thokozani Khupe, Kucaca Phulu, Juliana Makuvire, Nonhlanhla Mhlotswa, Charles Moyo, Bridget Nyandoro, Samantha Mureyanj, Otillia Sibanda, Lillian Sibanda, and Constance Chiota, who were seen chanting ruling Zanu-PF slogans and backing Mnangagwa’s 2030 agenda.

Tshabangu’s remarks during the tour stirred controversy. “If our presence here improves your stay in power and makes the people of Zimbabwe happy, then let it be,” he said, earning applause from Zanu-PF legislators and his CCC faction members.

While officially billed as a familiarisation tour of Mnangagwa’s farming operations, the gathering quickly devolved into a political endorsement of the president’s proposed tenure extension.

Criticism and Condemnation

Former CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere slammed the tour, describing it as a betrayal of democratic principles. “This is no longer Parliament. It’s a crime scene… Mahumbwe chaiwo (a joke). We need new leaders,” Mahere posted on social media, accusing opposition lawmakers of aligning with Zanu-PF instead of serving the electorate.

Exiled former Cabinet minister Saviour Kasukuwere also criticised the event, calling for a referendum to challenge Mnangagwa’s extended rule. “Let him call for a referendum on this rubbish. We will land in Harare and defeat this satanic arrangement,” Kasukuwere declared.

Prominent political activist Job Sikhala did not hold back, branding the MPs’ actions as a betrayal. “From the day you visit Precabe Farm, pretending to be opposition must be the day you know we will treat you the way we treat Zanu-PF. You are the enemy of the people, and you must be treated as such!” Sikhala said.

Growing Political Rift

The tour has exacerbated divisions within Zimbabwe’s political circles, with accusations of hypocrisy and betrayal flying between factions of Zanu-PF and CCC. Critics argue that such actions undermine the opposition’s credibility, casting doubt on its commitment to democratic principles.

As Zimbabwe gears up for its next election cycle, the event underscores the fragile state of its opposition and the growing entanglements between rival political camps, raising concerns over the country’s democratic trajectory.