Enough talk—it’s time for Zimbabweans to stand up in the face of betrayal by their MPs

Over 70 Members of Parliament in Zimbabwe have recently been allocated 1,000-square-meter residential plots in Harare—an act widely suspected to be a calculated move by the Mnangagwa regime to buy political loyalty.

These handouts are not random acts of generosity, nor are they rooted in any genuine concern for the welfare of public officials.

Instead, they appear timed to perfection, serving a far more sinister purpose: securing votes for possible constitutional amendments aimed at extending President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s tenure beyond 2028, when his constitutionally mandated two five-year terms expire.

The timing of this development cannot be ignored.

It came just days after former ZANU-PF Central Committee member and war veteran Blessed Geza threatened to push for Mnangagwa’s immediate impeachment.

Parliament, which was in session and had pending business to address, suddenly and suspiciously adjourned for a whole month.

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This is the same legislative body that would be responsible for initiating impeachment proceedings.

For many, this abrupt break is reminiscent of the November 2017 scenario when the late Robert Mugabe was forced to resign following the military-supported threat of impeachment from within ZANU-PF.

Are we witnessing history preparing to repeat itself?

There is growing vocal opposition to Mnangagwa, much of it emerging from his own party.

Many within ZANU-PF have become disillusioned by the president’s blatant entrenchment of power, the brazen corruption running rampant under his watch, and the devastating economic conditions that have plunged ordinary Zimbabweans deeper into poverty.

The regime appears rattled, and these recent land “gifts” to MPs are likely an attempt to consolidate support while preemptively neutralizing dissenting voices in Parliament.

There has been widespread public outrage over these attempts to buy the loyalty of MPs with land.

Zimbabweans are beginning to see these acts for what they are: bribes dressed up as empowerment initiatives.

Yet, amid all the anger and online uproar, a critical question remains—what are we going to do beyond our keyboards and smartphones?

How are we going to hold these MPs to account?

Most of these parliamentarians either belong to ZANU-PF or the fractured opposition CCC, which has been hijacked by Sengezo Tshabangu—an individual who has already publicly endorsed the “ED 2030 Agenda” at Mnangagwa’s Precabe Farm.

Whether those who still claim loyalty to Nelson Chamisa will stand up to these machinations remains to be seen.

But what’s clear is that unless the citizens of Zimbabwe take decisive, tangible action, all the noise on social media and in opinion articles will not stop this calculated erosion of democracy.

Sadly, we must accept a hard truth: very few, if any, politicians in Zimbabwe—or elsewhere—are truly principled.

For most, politics is a game of survival and self-enrichment.

An MP who knows they have little chance of re-election has every incentive to accept bribes in the form of land, money, or privilege.

These inducements offer not just immediate financial gain, but also the promise of extended tenure in office if elections are delayed to 2030 under new constitutional provisions.

Of course, the current Constitution prohibits sitting office bearers from benefiting from term extensions.

Any changes would require two national referendums—one to allow for the term extension itself and another to remove the prohibition on incumbents benefiting from it.

This is no small hurdle.

However, ZANU-PF has repeatedly shown its willingness to manipulate electoral processes using intimidation, violence, and systematic rigging—tools well-documented in Zimbabwe’s political history, abetted by a compromised electoral commission.

It’s therefore naive to expect MPs—driven largely by personal gain—to do the right thing on their own.

The people must act now, before the plan to prolong Mnangagwa’s rule and the accompanying corruption become entrenched beyond reversal.

We must remember that the real power in any democratic society lies with its citizens.

Parliamentarians represent constituencies; they are not gods but public servants drawn from our own communities.

We need to confront them with our anger and demands, not merely online but in person.

We must organize ourselves at the grassroots, calling for meetings with our MPs to demand explanations and express our disapproval.

We must send letters, petitions, and organize community gatherings to pressure them into acting in the interests of the people—not their own political survival.

There is no room for passivity.

Every time we choose to stay silent, we surrender a piece of our democracy.

It is no coincidence that even the few politicians who present themselves as “principled” are often merely playing a long game.

Some are calculating that by rejecting bribes and staying clean, they can endear themselves to the electorate and secure future electoral victories.

Their motives may appear noble on the surface, but in reality, these actions are often just as self-serving—strategies to maintain their political careers, not genuine acts of integrity.

Zimbabweans can no longer afford to be spectators in the political theatre.

We need to become participants—active and unrelenting in our fight for true democracy.

These MPs live among us.

We know them.

They attend our churches, shop in our stores, drive past our potholes, and suffer through our load-shedding and water cuts.

It is high time we made it clear that their betrayal of our trust will not go unnoticed or unchallenged.

This is not the time for fear or apathy.

It is a time for brave and coordinated civic engagement.

Let’s call for town hall meetings.

Let’s challenge our MPs at every opportunity.

Let’s form citizens’ watchdog committees in every constituency.

Let’s work with civil society organizations to demand transparency and accountability.

Let’s flood their offices with our letters.

Let’s march, if we must, peacefully and lawfully, to show them we will not be silenced.

If we fail to act now, we will find ourselves trapped in a future designed not for the people, but for the benefit of a small political elite desperate to cling to power.

And then we will only have ourselves to blame.

The battle for Zimbabwe’s democracy is no longer about elections—it’s about the soul of the nation.

It’s time we stepped forward and reclaimed it.

• 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/