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Biti vows to continue Geza's fight
2 hrs ago |
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Former legislator Tendai Biti has pledged that the opposition will honour the legacy of late war veteran Blessed "Bombshell" Geza by resisting proposed constitutional amendments aimed at postponing the 2028 general elections and extending President Emmerson Mnangagwa's tenure to 2030.
Geza, who went into hiding in South Africa following a nationwide police manhunt, died last Friday. He had made headlines for publicly calling for Mnangagwa's immediate resignation, accusing the President and his allies of plundering national resources while ordinary Zimbabweans suffered.
In a statement mourning Geza, Biti described the late activist's mission as a fight against what he called a dangerous assault on Zimbabwe's constitutional order.
"We shall never be able to fill his big shoes, but we vow to do justice to his memory by continuing his fight against constitutional manipulation and the attempt to create a kleptocratic dynasty," Biti said.
He warned that the government is moving rapidly to formalise constitutional changes that could fundamentally alter Zimbabwe's democratic framework.
"As the regime moves swiftly to gazette a constitutional Bill that will bastardise our Constitution by extending Mr Mnangagwa's rule to 2030, allow Parliament to elect a President, and push elections to 2035, we want to assure Bombshell that we will stand on his broad shoulders to resist and refuse this rank madness," Biti said.
"We will defend the Constitution, for that's all we have. That is all Bombshell had. That is what he fought for."
Biti also highlighted that Geza's political journey mirrored Zimbabwe's broader struggle for constitutional governance, spanning from the liberation war to post-independence demands for democracy and accountability.
Meanwhile, Zanu-PF has confirmed that a draft Bill seeking to extend Mnangagwa's term will be brought before Cabinet and Parliament, following a resolution at the party's 2024 conference that placed the issue at the centre of its agenda.
Geza, who went into hiding in South Africa following a nationwide police manhunt, died last Friday. He had made headlines for publicly calling for Mnangagwa's immediate resignation, accusing the President and his allies of plundering national resources while ordinary Zimbabweans suffered.
In a statement mourning Geza, Biti described the late activist's mission as a fight against what he called a dangerous assault on Zimbabwe's constitutional order.
"We shall never be able to fill his big shoes, but we vow to do justice to his memory by continuing his fight against constitutional manipulation and the attempt to create a kleptocratic dynasty," Biti said.
He warned that the government is moving rapidly to formalise constitutional changes that could fundamentally alter Zimbabwe's democratic framework.
"As the regime moves swiftly to gazette a constitutional Bill that will bastardise our Constitution by extending Mr Mnangagwa's rule to 2030, allow Parliament to elect a President, and push elections to 2035, we want to assure Bombshell that we will stand on his broad shoulders to resist and refuse this rank madness," Biti said.
"We will defend the Constitution, for that's all we have. That is all Bombshell had. That is what he fought for."
Biti also highlighted that Geza's political journey mirrored Zimbabwe's broader struggle for constitutional governance, spanning from the liberation war to post-independence demands for democracy and accountability.
Meanwhile, Zanu-PF has confirmed that a draft Bill seeking to extend Mnangagwa's term will be brought before Cabinet and Parliament, following a resolution at the party's 2024 conference that placed the issue at the centre of its agenda.
Source - newzimbabwe
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