Latest news with #PatrioticAct
News24
23-07-2025
- Politics
- News24
Zimbabwe: Can patriotism be legislated?
Zimbabwe's ZANU-PF is pushing to criminaliSe government criticism further, introducing 'patriotic' education and national ideology initiatives. Activists and opposition denounce the motion as repressive, claiming it suppresses freedoms and violates democratic principles. Citizens and organisations view the Patriot Act as unconstitutional, urging reforms to protect rights and democratic governance. Lawmakers from the ruling ZANU-PF party in Zimbabwe are moving a motion to further criminalise government critics. They're advocating for a comprehensive strategy to promote patriotism and national identity. Proposed measures include formalising a national ideology, establishing a national institute of ideology and integrating 'patriotic' education into the curriculum. The motion comes on top of the contested Patriotic Act of 2023, which was seen to effectively closed the door on dissent In Zimbabwe. It makes provision for criticism issues such as provision of healthcare, basic services and accountability to be judged criminal. The government dismissed criticism, saying the legislation was necessary to hold accountable individuals who threaten 'national interests'. It said the legislation was modelled on the Logan Act in the US, which bars citizens from engaging in certain unauthorised communications with foreign governments. In Zimbabwe, violations could result in life imprisonment and death, termination of citizenship, suspension from voting or holding public office. Another layer to repressive legislation In a recent parliamentary debate, ZANU-PF MP Ophious Murambiwa suggested that it should be criminal to speak 'evil' about Zimbabwe. 'The most important issue is to love our country, let us praise our country in all circumstances, whether in good or bad times, during the night or day,' Murambiwa said. The motion has prompted opposition lawmakers and human rights groups to push back harder. 'Patriotism is not blind loyalty. It is not empty slogans. True patriots question injustice, challenge corruption and demand systems that serve people not a selected few,' Prosper Mutseyami, an opposition MP, said. Our patriotism must ignite participation, ensuring that every Zimbabwean plays an active role in shaping the future. Prosper Mutseyami Human rights activists say it's another attempt to silence dissent. 'You cannot necessarily legislate patriotism,' Nigel Nyamutumbu, the Media Alliance of Zimbabwe programmes manager, told DW. 'It is a concept that can naturally clamp down on the requisite freedoms. Patriotism is not a legal concept but rather a political nationalist ideology.' Activists have in the past been accused of treason and unpatriotic behaviour for expressing concerns over human rights abuses, corruption, and governance in Zimbabwe. Is it really 'business as usual' in Zimbabwe? Citizens have expressed concern over what they fear are attempts to enforce a one-party state. ZANU-PF, with its absolute majority in parliament, is seen to be abusing its authority and violating the constitution. 'As parliamentarians we are supposed to uphold the constitution,' Gladys Hlatshwayo an opposition MP told DW. 'Section 119 of the constitution demands that parliament protects the constitution and democratic governance.' In June 2025, Zimbabwe's High Court struck down sections of the Patriotic Act. The court ruled that the drastic penalties prescribed by the Patriotic Act infringed on various sections of the country's constitution. Several civic organisations and private citizens had petitioned the court, arguing that the legislation was overly broad and vague and had high potential for abuse and misuse. 'The most patriotic people are those who hold their government to account. A government must not be seen as the most dangerous institution,' Eric Chisora, a political analyst, told DW. 'Whatever they [ZANU-PF lawmakers] are doing is unreasonable and irrational. Citizens' rights must be protected.' A need for law reforms Political and civic rights activists are calling for the repeal of colonial legacy laws which they say are retrogressive. Laws such as the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act, with provisions have been used to incriminate government critics, date back to Zimbabwe's pre-independence era when they were used to suppress black majority rule. The activists are concerned over the shrinking of democratic space under Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe's president since 2018. 'We are now living in a country where there is no freedom of expression due to the number of pieces of legislation being passed by the ZANU-PF regime,' Blessing Vava, executive director of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, told DW. 'When you see a government passing repressive laws, just know that it is not a popular government. Zimbabweans must fight to defend the constitution.'
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Zimbabwe: Can patriotism be legislated?
Lawmakers from the ruling ZANU-PF party in Zimbabwe are moving a motion to further criminalize government critics. They're advocating for a comprehensive strategy to promote patriotism and national identity. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Proposed measures include formalizing a national ideology, establishing a national institute of ideology and integrating "patriotic" education into the curriculum. The motion comes on top of the contested Patriotic Act of 2023, which was seen to effectively closed the door on dissent In Zimbabwe. It makes provision for criticism issues such as provision of health care, basic services and accountability to be judged criminal. The government dismissed criticism, saying the legislation was necessary to hold accountable individuals who threaten "national interests." It said the legislation was modeled on the Logan Act in the US, which bars citizens from engaging in certain unauthorized communications with foreign governments. In Zimbabwe, violations could result in life imprisonment and death, termination of citizenship, suspension from voting or holding public office. Another layer to repressive legislation In a recent parliamentary debate, ZANU-PF MP Ophious Murambiwa suggested that it should be criminal to speak "evil" about Zimbabwe. "The most important issue is to love our country, let us praise our country in all circumstances, whether in good or bad times, during the night or day," Murambiwa said. The motion has prompted opposition lawmakers and human rights groups to push back harder. "Patriotism is not blind loyalty. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now It is not empty slogans. True patriots question injustice, challenge corruption and demand systems that serve people not a selected few," Prosper Mutseyami, an opposition MP, said. "Our patriotism must ignite participation, ensuring that every Zimbabwean plays an active role in shaping the future." Human rights activists say its another attempt to silence dissent. "You cannot necessarily legislate patriotism," Nigel Nyamutumbu, the Media Alliance of Zimbabwe programs manager, told DW. "It is a concept that can naturally clamp down on the requisite freedoms. Patriotism is not a legal concept but rather a political nationalist ideology." Activists have in the past been accused of treason and unpatriotic behaviour for expressing concerns over human rights abuses, corruption, and governance in Zimbabwe. Abuse of parliament and constitution Citizens have expressed concern over what they fear are attempts to enforce a one-party state. ZANU-PF, with its absolute majority in parliament, is seen to be abusing its authority and violating the constitution. "As parliamentarians we are supposed to uphold the constitution," Gladys Hlatshwayo an opposition MP told DW. "Section 119 of the constitution demands that parliament protects the constitution and democratic governance." In June 2025, Zimbabwe's High Court struck down sections of the Patriotic Act. The court ruled that the drastic penalties prescribed by the Patriotic Act infringed on various sections of the country's constitution. Several civic organizations and a private citizens had petitioned the court, arguing that the legislation was overly broad and vague and had high potential for abuse and misuse. "The most patriotic people are those who hold their government to account. A government must not be seen as the most dangerous institution," Eric Chisora, a political analyst, told DW. "Whatever they [ZANU-PF lawmakers] are doing is unreasonable and irrational. Citizens' rights must be protected." A need for law reforms Political and civic rights activists are calling for the repeal of colonial legacy laws which they say are retrogressive. Laws such as the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act, with provisions have been used to incriminate government critics, date back to Zimbabwe's pre-independence era when they were used to suppress Black majority rule. The activists are concerned over the shrinking of democratic space under Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe's president since 2018. "We are now living in a country where there is no freedom of expression due to the number of pieces of legislation being passed by the ZANU-PF regime," Blessing Vava, executive director of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, told DW. "When you see a government passing repressive laws, just know that it is not a popular government. Zimbabweans must fight to defend the constitution."
Zawya
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Zimbabwe Court Strikes Down Provisions of Repressive Law
On Wednesday, a High Court in Zimbabwe struck down provisions of the country's Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act, commonly referred to as the 'Patriotic Act,' as unconstitutional. The Patriotic Act, which President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed into law in July 2023, contains overly broad provisions that make the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association a criminal offense. The act created the crime of 'willfully injuring the sovereignty and national interest of Zimbabwe,' which effectively criminalizes Zimbabwean civil society groups and human rights defenders who criticize the government at international forums and prohibits them from seeking external avenues for accountability for rights violations. In its ruling, the court stated that the drastic penalties prescribed under section 22A(3) of the act, which include life imprisonment, the death penalty, termination of citizenship, and suspensions from voting and holding public office, infringed on various sections of the Zimbabwean Constitution. Media Alliance of Zimbabwe and Zenzele Ndebele, a private citizen, who brought the case before the court, argued that section 22A(3) and other provisions had high potential for abuse and misuse. They contended that the sections had the effect of silencing dissenting voices and were therefore unfair, unnecessary, and unreasonable in a democratic society. They also said that the law did not sufficiently define what constituted 'willfully injuring the sovereignty and national interest of Zimbabwe.' When President Mnangagwa signed the bill into law, domestic and international human rights and civil society organizations, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, and Human Rights Watch, expressed concern that the law would further threaten and erode freedoms of expression and association in the country. Several other groups signed a statement calling for the repeal of the law, stating that it carried provisions 'not necessary or justifiable in a democratic society.' While striking down sections of the law as unconstitutional is a positive step, the Zimbabwe government should repeal the draconian Patriotic Act altogether, as it contains overly broad and vaguely defined provisions, such as those criminalizing participation in meetings 'with the intention of promoting calls for economic sanctions against the country.' Such provisions amount to serious violations of the fundamental human rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association protected under international human rights law. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Human Rights Watch (HRW).
