Analyst, Mutare resident blasts Zanu PF for frog‑marching churches into its meetings

Political analyst and Mutare resident Kennedy Kaitano has condemned Zanu PF for directing pastors in Mashonaland East to suspend church services and allow congregants to attend meetings promoting Constitutional Amendment Bill Number 3.

In an open letter addressed to Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda, Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda, the Pan‑African Parliament, SADC and other bodies, Kaitano said the ruling party had “revealed its true colours of repression".

He said congregants were being forced to sign pre‑prepared template letters supporting the Bill.

“The template letter has a sentence which reads: 'I have firm belief that this Bill does not need to go for a referendum' as it seeks to amend the electoral cycle and not the term‑limit provisions. But it is incorrect to argue that the Bill is only changing an electoral cycle," he said.

Kaitano said altering the length of time an elected official stays in office is, by definition, a term‑limit change.

“So even if four and a half million people sign template letters claiming the amendments are not term‑limit provisions, it is a lie that must be exposed to SADC and global institutions," he said.

He added that if Zanu PF wanted President Mnangagwa to continue in office, it should allow due process.

“They claim they are not afraid of a referendum - let them prove their popularity through a referendum. Zanu PF must realise it cannot fool the world all the time," he said.

Kaitano urged senior government officials to stop enabling repression.

"Zimbabweans are angry. We need seriousness from Zanu PF deployees in influential public offices," he said.