Dr. Tungwarara's call for repression is a betrayal of Zimbabwe's struggle

I was left utterly speechless when I stumbled upon a news report in The Herald, the state-controlled daily newspaper.

In it, Dr. Paul Tungwarara, the Special Presidential Investment Advisor to the United Arab Emirates and a prominent businessman, launched a scathing attack on war veterans led by Blessed Geza.

These veterans had taken a bold and principled stand, calling on President Mnangagwa to step down immediately, citing his failure to fulfill his promises and meet the aspirations of Zimbabweans.

Geza was unequivocal in his opposition to any attempts to extend Mnangagwa's rule beyond the constitutional two-term limit that expires in 2028.

Yet, rather than engaging with these concerns, Dr. Tungwarara dismissed them outright.

He branded the war veterans' criticism as "retrogressive" and accused them of jeopardizing Zimbabwe's economic progress by causing uncertainty among potential investors.

He went further, warning that their statements could have lasting negative consequences for the country's development and international standing.

To drive his point home, he even suggested that Zimbabwe should consider implementing stricter laws - like those in the UAE - to criminalize what he called "smear campaigns" against national leaders.

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This is nothing short of a chilling call for repression.

Tungwarara's remarks reveal a deeply troubling mindset - one that prioritizes silencing dissent over addressing legitimate grievances.

It is hardly surprising that individuals directly appointed by Mnangagwa to high positions feel the need to sing his praises and defend his desperate bid to cling to power.

We see the same from ministers like Daniel Garwe and Owen Ncube, who have been crisscrossing the country in a frantic campaign to push for an unconstitutional extension of their leader's rule.

What motivates them?

Certainly not the welfare of the people.

The truth is that Mnangagwa's inner circle has amassed obscene wealth since he seized power in the 2017 military coup that toppled Robert Mugabe.

Many of them have enriched themselves through corruption, land grabs, and the plundering of national resources.

Some have been accused of running criminal gangs that brutalize political opponents and forcibly seize gold mines.

It is clear that their support for Mnangagwa's extended rule is driven by a desperate bid for self-preservation.

Outside the protective umbrella of his government, they know they would be held accountable for their actions.

Yet, despite the fear-mongering from the likes of Dr. Tungwarara, Zimbabweans are not fooled.

There are those who genuinely care about the country's future and refuse to be bullied into silence.

The war veterans who spoke out are among them.

Their call for Mnangagwa to step down is not just about respecting the Constitution - it is about defending democracy itself from the creeping authoritarianism of an elite that views power as a lifelong entitlement.

What is particularly disturbing about Dr. Tungwarara's argument is its eerie resemblance to the propaganda of colonial Rhodesia.

I remember being taught in school - soon after Zimbabwe's independence in 1980 - when we were still using the colonial curriculum that Rhodesia was a peaceful and prosperous country where all people, black and white, lived in harmony.

We were told that those who took up arms to fight for liberation were "troublemakers" bent on destabilizing the country and harming the economy.

The implication was clear: for the sake of "peace" and "economic stability," black Zimbabweans were supposed to quietly accept their oppression.

This is exactly what Dr. Tungwarara is advocating today.

He and others like him want Zimbabweans to shut up and accept whatever Mnangagwa decides, no matter how unconstitutional or oppressive, all in the name of "economic progress."

They want to criminalize dissent and turn Zimbabwe into a state where questioning the government is punishable by law - just like in colonial times.

But what "economic progress" is Dr. Tungwarara talking about?

Has he lived in the UAE for so long that he has lost touch with the reality on the ground?

Has he not seen the empty supermarket shelves, the businesses shutting down, and the skyrocketing unemployment?

Has he not heard that over 70% of Zimbabweans live below the poverty line, while formal employment has all but collapsed?

What investment boom is he referring to when the only notable foreign players in Zimbabwe are Chinese mining firms notorious for exploiting workers, displacing communities, and destroying the environment?

If speaking out against Mnangagwa's unconstitutional power grab will scare away these so-called investors, then let them stay away.

The people of Zimbabwe have gained nothing from the plunder of their natural resources by Chinese companies and their well-connected local partners.

In fact, a significant portion of Zimbabwe's stolen gold ends up in the UAE - the very country where Dr. Tungwarara has been stationed - according to Al Jazeera's Gold Mafia exposé.

In the end, Zimbabweans have every right to oppose Mnangagwa's attempts to extend his rule.

It is not just a constitutional right; it is a moral duty.

No one - least of all an unelected presidential advisor - has the authority to silence the people's voices.

There were those who sacrificed their lives for the freedoms that Dr. Tungwarara now wants to take away.

We will not betray their legacy.

We will not be intimidated into submission.

And we will not allow Zimbabwe to slide back into the dark days of dictatorship.

The struggle for democracy and justice continues.

© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/