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Epoch Times
02-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Risking Beijing's Ire, Mineral-Rich Zimbabwe Wants US Trade
News Analysis JOHANNESBURG—Zimbabwe, with its struggling economy and high rates of inflation, poverty, and unemployment, became the first country to drop tariffs on U.S. imports. The move by Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has been under heavy U.S. government sanctions for more than two decades as a key member of the China-friendly ZANU-PF regime, came three days after Trump imposed an 18 percent duty on the southern African nation's goods entering the United States. Mnangagwa, a former guerrilla who received military training in China in the 1960s, didn't launch his usual anti-American bluster, insults, and accusations of neo-colonialism and imperialism. Instead, on April 5, he used social media platform X to Mnangagwa, who seized power from Robert Mugabe by coup in 2017, said Trump's reciprocal tariffs held 'merit,' specifically 'as a tool for safeguarding domestic employment and industrial sectors.' Related Stories 4/7/2025 4/23/2025 He added that his suspension of all levies on U.S. goods was 'in the spirit of constructing a mutually beneficial and positive relationship with the United States of America, under the leadership of President Trump.' Statistics from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative show that commerce between the world's largest economy and Zimbabwe, rated Africa's 17th-largest economy out of 54 countries by the World Bank, remains minimal. In 2024, the United States exported almost $44 million worth of goods, mainly agricultural machinery, to Zimbabwe, while importing nearly $68 million in ferroalloys, tobacco, and sugar. Mnangagwa said his tariff measure was intended to facilitate the expansion of American imports while simultaneously promoting the growth of Zimbabwean exports. 'This action underscores our commitment to a framework of equitable trade and enhanced bilateral cooperation,' he wrote in the April 5 X post. Mnangagwa's ZANU-PF party has been governing Zimbabwe uninterrupted since it gained independence from Britain in 1980, mainly because it rigged elections, according to the United Nations and other observers. The World Bank has classified Zimbabwe as one of the poorest countries, as the political and business elite allegedly collude to profit almost exclusively from its extensive natural resources, including gold, platinum, diamonds, coal, and critical minerals such as chromium, nickel, and lithium, which are becoming increasingly important to the world's future. Trump has exempted gold and some critical minerals from import tariffs, as his administration considers them essential to American progress and national security. They are used to make a wide range of products, including cell phones, computers, electric vehicle batteries, and weapons such as missiles and fighter aircraft. China has a near monopoly on the world's rare earth minerals and metals, in large part due to its dominance in African extractive industries, including those in Zimbabwe. Mnangagwa's kind words following Trump's April 2 announcement were a far cry from his hitherto regular calls for the downfall of the U.S. dollar and for the 'hegemonic' West to suffer erosion at the hands of a 'new world order' led by Beijing and Moscow, another close ally of Harare. However, some financial experts warn that Mnangagwa's scrapping of tariffs on American goods could further damage Zimbabwe's economy and upset its two biggest trade partners, China and South Africa, both of which have invested heavily in the African country. The country is heavily dependent on neighboring South Africa for most products, including food, its economy having melted down in the early 2000s after political violence and Mugabe's seizure of white-owned farms. 'It's unlikely that the U.S. will replace South Africa as Zimbabwe's main trading partner,' Mohamad Razak, an economist at South Africa's University of KwaZulu-Natal, told The Epoch Times, adding that South Africa would not be happy that Mnangagwa is ending tariffs on American imports. 'Zimbabwe taxes a lot of South African imported products, so Pretoria will expect it to stop these taxes and give it tariff-free access to its market as well.' Razak said Zimbabwe's economic partners across southern Africa—including Botswana, Angola, and Zambia—would also be 'rather disappointed' in Mnangagwa's 'unilateral' approach. 'There's a feeling that SADC [Southern African Development Community] should have decided on a common response to the tariffs, so that the interests of all countries are protected,' he said. In response, Zimbabwean government spokesperson Nick Mangwana told The Epoch Times the country's rulers have the right, as an elected administration, to make decisions in the 'best interests' of its citizens. Razak said Beijing, in particular, would feel 'threatened' by Harare's 'cozying up' to the United States. China has poured billions of dollars into Zimbabwe's extractive industry in recent years and owns 90 percent of the country's mines, according to a September 2024 study by the Harare-based Center for Natural Resource Governance. Beijing's ambassador in Harare, Zhou Ding, did not respond to requests for comment. Gold has been Beijing's chief focus so far, according to Zimbabwean independent economist Tapiwa Mupandawana. Zimbabwe is the world's 25th-largest gold producer, delivering nearly But lately, Mupandawana told The Epoch Times, the Chinese have shifted their focus to lithium, described by geoscientists as one of the most important critical minerals. Lithium is essential to the manufacturing of microchips, laptop computers, high-resolution display screens, and battery power sources. 'These technologies form the backbone of the internet, wireless technologies and the IoT (Internet of Things) that support today's infrastructure and are also powering the move to Industry 4.0. Green power and energy storage technologies like wind, solar and EV batteries are also critically dependent' on a small group of minerals, including lithium, Mupandawana said Chinese-built lithium mines are now prevalent across Zimbabwe, 'with more springing up all the time.' Harare claims that its experts have found the world's largest known lithium deposit, at more than 11 million tonnes, with the potential to supply at least 20 percent of the globe's lithium once all resources are fully utilized. 'I can think of lesser things than this to provide encouragement to the Americans to patch things up with Zimbabwe,' Booysen said. She's convinced that access to gold and critical minerals could form the basis of better relations between Harare and Washington. 'I think the Mnangagwa government sees the tariffs and Trump's mercantile nature as a doorway to exactly this,' Booysen told The Epoch Times. Winning mining and resource rights in Zimbabwe is 'just one piece of the puzzle' that could enable the United States to break China's stranglehold on rare earth minerals, while at the same time strengthening the U.S. economy and national security, Razak said. But Kim Gundani, a business analyst in Harare, said U.S. sanctions are standing in the way of a rapprochement. Washington has maintained sanctions on leading ZANU-PF figures and collaborators since 2003, when it accused the Mugabe government of torturing and killing political opponents and election fraud. In March 2024, then-U.S. President Joe Biden announced a new set of sanctions specifically targeting Mnangagwa and 10 of his allies, including his wife and military commander, for a range of alleged crimes. The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) released a 'Mnangagwa provides a protective shield to smugglers to operate in Zimbabwe and has directed Zimbabwean officials to facilitate the sale of gold and diamonds in illicit markets, taking bribes in exchange for his services. Mnangagwa also oversees Zimbabwe's security services, which have violently repressed political opponents and civil society groups,' the statement reads. The OFAC said the first lady of Zimbabwe, Auxillia Mnangagwa, 'facilitates' her husband's alleged crimes. OFAC claimed Auxillia Mnangagwa 'is responsible for or complicit in, or has directly or indirectly engaged in, corruption, including the misappropriation of state assets, the expropriation of private assets for personal gain, corruption related to government contracts or the extraction of natural resources, or bribery.' The sanctions froze all assets owned by the Mnangagwas and their associates in the United States and prohibited American citizens and financial institutions from doing business with the sanctioned individuals and companies. The government of Zimbabwe at the time described Washington's measures as 'inhumane' and 'illegal.' Booysen said the Trump administration seems 'far more open to ending the freeze' between Washington and Harare. 'Mnangagwa clearly wants Trump to drop the sanctions just like [Mnangagwa] dropped tariffs on American imports, using the possibility of access to Zimbabwean resources as a carrot,' she said. The U.S. State Department's Bureau of African Affairs released a It criticized the Mnangagwa government for continuing to 'use violence against peaceful protestors and civil society, as well as against labor leaders and members of the political opposition.' The Bureau pointed out that Harare has made little progress in implementing the broad reforms needed for political and economic stability. It said that American support for the people of Zimbabwe includes 'holding accountable those Zimbabweans who use public resources for private gain and deny their fellow citizens fundamental freedoms,' according to the statement. At the same time, though, the bureau said the United States 'welcomes the opportunity to increase bilateral trade and investment with Zimbabwe that will benefit U.S. and Zimbabwean businesses alike.' Booysen said previous administrations in Washington would 'never have opened the door' to Zimbabwe to this extent. 'So it's not beyond belief that one day soon the United States could have a big stake in Zimbabwe's mineral sector, should certain things happen, and one of those would be to lift the sanctions on Mnangagwa and his associates,' she said. 'The Chinese will be angry should the United States enter what it considers to be [Beijing's] market, but [Chinese leader Xi Jinping's regime] is mercenary itself, so it shouldn't complain much if this happens.'
The South African
25-04-2025
- Politics
- The South African
Britain's Lord Oates demands accountability for Zim journalist's arrest
British politician and member of the House of Lords, Jonny Oates, has demanded accountability regarding the jailing of Zimbabwean journalist Blessed Mhlanga. Mhlanga, a journalist who works at Alpha Media Holdings, has now spent 60 days in detention for interviewing a war veteran, Blessed Geza, who wants President Emmerson Mnangagwa to step down. Lord Oates spoke during a debate on media freedom in the House of Lords on Thursday. He said the Zimbabwean authorities arrested Mhlanga for no other reason than reporting the truth. 'As we speak, the journalist Blessed Mhlanga has been detained for 59 days and denied his constitutional right to bail,' Lord Oates said. 'His crime is having the temerity to conduct an interview with a former war veteran who opposes President Mnangagwa's desire to extend his term in office and has highlighted the criminal corruption of the regime and the President's family.' He added that he hopes the British government will make it clear that there will be no resumption of normal relations with Zimbabwe while the ZANU-PF regime continues to detain journalists. Lord Oates urged the Parliamentarians to ask the Zimbabwean First Lady, Auxillia Mnangagwa, about Mhlanga's freedom. Auxillia will speak at a summit in London in June. 'I note that the President's wife is due to speak at a summit in London in June,' Lord Oates noted. 'I hope that Members of our Parliament who are choosing to take part will challenge Zimbabwe's First Lady on the continued detention of Blessed Mhlanga and the overall brutality of the regime she represents.' Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Al Jazeera
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Amid Zimbabwe's political crisis, hope and frustration brew
Harare, Zimbabwe – On a sunny April afternoon, 41-year-old Tawanda Zvamaida sat with four friends at an outdoor bar. They were discussing recent antigovernment protests where police arrested about half of the 200 protesters. On March 31, protesters gathered following a call for demonstrations by a former member of Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa's party. Zvamaida lives in Chitungwiza, a town about 25km from the capital, Harare, and a stronghold for the opposition party, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC). Many residents there supported the protests but did not attend. The country was brought to a standstill that day – the streets were quiet as businesses and schools shut and Zimbabweans like Zvamaida, a shop assistant at a clothing store in central Harare, stayed home. Despite police assurances that the situation was 'peaceful', many feared violence. The protesters called for Mnangagwa, who came to power in 2017 after the army overthrew former President Robert Mugabe, to step down, decrying what they insist is a corrupt political elite and a struggling economy. Those arrested were accused of throwing stones at the police and have since faced charges of 'participating in a gathering with intent to promote public violence'. 'Personally, I would love to participate in protests, but there was no clear plan of coordination,' Zvamaida explained. Without this, he thinks 'fear gripped people' who wanted to protest, and that the arrests show that the police won't tolerate any form of dissent. An internal split has roiled the ruling ZANU-PF party, which has been in power since independence in 1980. It has pitted supporters of Mnangagwa, who want him to rule until 2030 – despite a two-term constitutional limit that would see his term end in 2028 – and those opposed to this. Blessed 'Bombshell' Geza, a veteran of Zimbabwe's war of liberation from Britain, called for the mass demonstrations. He was expelled from ZANU-PF on March 6 after calling on the president to go and is now wanted by the police for charges including undermining the president's authority. He has accused the government of corruption and jailing dissenting voices without trial, and argued that Mnangagwa, who promised jobs and democracy when he came to power, is surrounded by 'criminals'. For many Zimbabweans, the recent protests offered a moment of hope as they continue their push for economic and democratic reforms. Cassandra*, a 37-year-old fruit and vegetable seller with a roadside stall in Chitungwiza says since the emergence of a strong opposition in the late 1990s, elections have had no use in Zimbabwe. Polls have been marred by violence, repression and torture of opposition members, and election rigging. 'Our vote for a democratic change has been stolen,' she said. Under Mnangagwa, opposition party activists have been jailed for gathering together. Meanwhile, for nearly three decades, Zimbabwe has faced an economic crisis characterised by high food prices, loss of currency value and low wages. Cassandra says many of her friends have left Zimbabwe for neighbouring countries and Europe due to the lack of employment opportunities. She believes Zimbabwe needs a new leader, but does not think Mnangagwa, who is 82, would resign voluntarily, nor does she believe it would be possible to have a leader outside of the ZANU-PF. 'The government is repressive. We cannot tolerate that. But, only a few can come out openly because, on the other hand, such persecution instils fear in the majority,' explained Cassandra. In the Chitungwiza neighbourhood of Manyame Park, residents say that they have lived without running water for more than 20 years and must buy drinking and bathing water from mobile storage tank providers. Wealthy residents in Harare's leafy suburbs have cushioned themselves from the water shortages by drilling private boreholes, a costly endeavour that people in Chitungwiza and low-income suburbs in Harare cannot afford. Across the country, most people have lost a stable income as the economic crisis is forcing businesses to close. People largely work in the informal economy as vendors, 'pirate taxi' drivers (operating private cars without a business registration), waiters in back yard food courts and as security guards. 'We are suffering in this country, yet the elite are looting and enjoying. We don't have any hope in the current government,' said Takura Makota, a 38-year-old pirate taxi driver who plies the Chitungwiza–Harare route, and a resident of Manyame Park. 'Mnangagwa is running our country like a family business, benefitting his family and friends,' said Zvamaida, referring to so-called 'tenderpreneurs' – individuals close to top government officials who many believe repeatedly win government contracts and benefit from taxpayers' money. Last March, First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa and her husband were sanctioned by the United States for their alleged involvement in illicit gold and diamond networks. Upon his re-election in 2023, Mnangagwa appointed his son, David, as deputy finance minister and his nephew Tongai as the deputy tourism minister. Another son, Emmerson Jr, is also sanctioned by the US due to his links with Kudakwashe Tagwirei, a business tycoon accused of using his wealth to gain state contracts. Another wealthy businessman, ex-convict Wicknell Chivayo, who has close government ties and links to Mnangagwa, is known for his flashy lifestyle – driving expensive cars, using a private jet and wearing expensive jewellery. He was awarded a Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) tender to construct a solar project in 2015 at a cost of $172m. Ten years down the line, the project has not seen the light of day. A court cleared him of wrongdoing in 2023, and the ZPC was ordered to pay a $25m fine. 'You see all the people surrounding the president buying helicopters and private jets, in a country where the majority are unemployed, roads are potholed and hospitals don't have cancer [radiotherapy] machines,' Makota said. In Chitungwiza, Makota says dilapidated infrastructure is a constant issue. Roads built in the 1990s have not been maintained, bus terminals are run down and sewers are frequently blocked, posing a health hazard. 'With proper coordination, I'm sure that soon we can protest again, because the majority are hungry and are not happy,' he added. In Epworth, a periurban settlement located in central Harare, where both ZANU-PF and CCC command support, the country's uncertain political situation has put residents on edge. Many residents came to Epworth as victims of 'Operation Murambatsvina' (Clear the Filth) executed by the Mugabe government in 2005. Police burned, bulldozed and destroyed tens of thousands of properties, leading to the mass eviction of people from their homes and businesses around the country. Though government officials said the operation was designed to target urbanisation and criminal activity, activists, lawyers and victims told Human Rights Watch they believed the destruction was designed to punish people who voted for the opposition in recent elections and to prevent an uprising against a worsening economic situation. As Geza and his supporters decide on a way forward, Lorraine Mutasa, a resident and local CCC politician, says the mood in Epworth feels particularly tense. Since the protests, Mutasa said people who usually conduct business there are avoiding the area. Trymore*, 42, a carpenter in Epworth, believes that people are afraid to speak openly about economic hardship for fear of being denounced by pro-government supporters. 'People are divided, that's the problem. It's unfortunate that all of us are suffering the same and have suffered for a long time, but … some fear persecution and support the ruling party. It's sad that the ruling party has a history of violence. So at the moment, it's quite tense, because people don't know what to say or to whom to mobilise one another,' he explained. Zvamaida, the shop assistant from Chitungwiza, believes citizens can bring about change, but that they need someone to unite around and will only take to the streets if there is a guarantee of safety. 'People are already angry, but it is those elements which will bring them to the streets,' he said. The government's official spokesperson and information minister, Jenfan Muswere, did not respond to calls from Al Jazeera. *Name has been changed
Daily Tribune
06-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
Zimbabwe to suspend tariffs on US imports: President
Zimbabwe's President said Saturday he would suspend all tariffs on goods imported from the United States, days after US President Donald Trump levied 18 percent tariffs against the southern African nation. The mineral-rich country's main trading partners are the United Arab Emirates, South Africa and China, and its limited exports to the US comprise mainly of tobacco and sugar. "I will direct the Zimbabwean government to implement a suspension of all tariffs levied on goods originating from the United States," President Emmerson Mnangagwa said in a post on X. This announcement was "intended to facilitate the expansion of American imports within the Zimbabwean market, while simultaneously promoting the growth of Zimbabwean exports destined for the United States," he said. The total goods trade between the two countries amounted to $111.6 million in 2024, according to US government data. The relationship between Zimbabwe and the US has been marked by decades-long pressure campaigns against former ruler Robert Mugabe since the early 2000s. Harare has regularly blamed US sanctions for the disastrous economic crisis that has afflicted the country for more than two decades, and has moved away from the West, strengthening economic ties with the UAE and China. Washington last year abolished the former sanctions programme but imposed targeted sanctions on Mnangagwa and other senior leaders in Zimbabwe's government and ZANU-PF ruling party, citing rights abuses and corruption. Mnangagwa at the time said the sanctions imposed by then President Joe Biden were "illegal and unjustified". Prominent journalist and activist Hopewell Chin'ono said Saturday's announcement of the suspension of tariffs on US goods was a "knee-jerk reaction", suggesting it could be an effort by Mnangagwa to get the sanctions removed. "Acting unilaterally contradicts the principles of regional economic cooperation," especially with the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and risked "sidelining the interests" of Zimbabwe's main trade partners, Chin'ono wrote on X. "Does Zimbabwe even export enough to the US to justify trying to appease Trump's administration in this way?," he asked.
Al Jazeera
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Zimbabwe must abandon Rhodesian style of governance
On March 31, Zimbabwean security forces spent the entire day dispersing small gatherings of people who were trying to stage a peaceful protest against the ruling ZANU-PF party's attempts to secure an unconstitutional third term for President Emmerson Mnangagwa. By day's end, the police had apprehended 95 demonstrators for allegedly promoting 'public violence' and causing 'breaches of peace'. However, the police did not manage to detain the man behind this protest, Blessed Geza. A veteran of the 1970s liberation war, Geza remains at large despite being sought by law enforcement on four criminal charges since February. He was expelled from the ZANU-PF party on March 6 for supposedly undermining the party's leadership by calling on Mnangagwa to step down. Subsequently, on March 26, Geza took to YouTube, dressed in military fatigues, to criticise Mnangagwa and many key figures associated with the 82-year-old leader. He warned that he was starting to take unspecified action against 'Zvigananda' – people who are accruing wealth through illegal means and looting the nation's wealth. The 'Zvigananda' on Geza's list include numerous government ministers, senior civil servants, party officials, war veterans and three wealthy, highly influential businessmen with close ties to the government who are widely believed to be corrupt: Scott Sakupwanya, Wicknell Chivayo and Kuda Tagwirei. According to local media investigations, Chivayo, an ex-convict, made millions of dollars by selling exorbitantly priced electoral materials to Zimbabwean authorities for the highly disputed August 2023 general election. An investigation conducted by NewsHawks, a local newspaper, concluded that he later funnelled millions in kickbacks to influential Zimbabwean figures. Tagwirei is at least as controversial as Chivayo. A July 2023 report published by The Sentry and Open Secrets revealed how he built a shadowy business empire and enormous wealth using complex, controversial corporate structures and seemingly preferential government treatment. Former Finance Minister Tendai Biti has stated that Tagwirei controls the Southern African nation's fuel sector, more than 60 percent of its gold mines, two of the largest banks and its only gold refinery. Both Chivayo and Tagwirei are believed to have exploited their close ties to Mnangagwa and the ZANU-PF party to land government contracts and further their business interests. On March 28, Geza made it known that he was responsible for setting alight several vehicles parked outside the offices of Tagwirei and Chivayo. His voluntary admission was designed to reflect his 'revolutionary' intent to confront the 'Zvigananda' and the 'political criminals' associated with Mnangagwa. For the past year, Zimbabwe's leader has been trying to secure a third term even though he has publicly denied this goal and the constitution restricts him to two terms. This disastrous ambition, however, appears to be facing notable resistance from his deputy, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, a former military chief. There is widespread speculation that Chiwenga, who still retains substantial backing within the Zimbabwean military, is the principal force driving Geza. On March 27, Mnangagwa moved General Anselem Sanyatwe – a key Chiwenga ally – from the position of army chief to minister of sports, art and recreation in a manoeuvre to diminish Chiwenga's influence among the defence forces. The intensifying struggle for power may lead to a coup similar to the military takeover on November 15, 2017, led by Chiwenga, which ousted Zimbabwe's strongman Robert Mugabe. Nonetheless, the primary issue extends beyond Mnangagwa's alarming malfeasance, as suggested by Geza. It lies in the ZANU-PF party's conspicuous failure to establish a strong, effective and transparent democratic framework. While Geza's various perspectives on Zimbabwe's governance challenges are certainly a positive contribution, his narrow-minded interpretations tend to oversimplify an extremely complex situation. Attributing Zimbabwe's intricate issues solely to Mnangagwa's unquestionably poor and corrupt leadership is both misleading and counterproductive. In truth, Chiwenga and Geza – a former ZANU-PF Central Committee member – are also deeply embedded in the systemic issues affecting Zimbabwe. 'Zvigananda' have been an integral part of Zimbabwe's economic environment since the country gained independence from Britain on April 18, 1980. From the early 1980s, prominent businessmen such as Samson Paweni and Roger Boka were closely linked to senior ZANU-PF officials and were involved in financial misconduct amounting to millions of dollars. Thus, Geza's evaluations are certainly superficial and fail to offer effective solutions to the ongoing democratic deficit in the nation. Rather than challenging the existing political structure, he aims to maintain the status quo, albeit with a new leader and possibly a different set of 'Zvigananda'. The reality is that all factions within the ZANU-PF party – new, old and emerging – are woefully corrupt and shockingly averse to the rule of law. In April 2018, Marry Mubaiwa, the ex-wife of Chiwenga, found herself embroiled in allegations of corruption. Only 55 days after the coup in November 2017, she was awarded a lucrative multimillion-dollar contract to provide travel services to the office of the president and cabinet, all without going to tender and following the proper procedures. Then, in December 2019, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission arrested Mubaiwa on charges of money laundering, fraud and violations of exchange control regulations. A month later, during court testimony in divorce proceedings against Mubaiwa, Chiwenga did not fare any better, openly acknowledging that he had received luxury vehicles from state entities and wealthy 'well-wishers'. The ever scheming Tagwirei, for example, had donated a Mercedes Benz E350, which was used to transport Chiwenga's children. So Chiwenga, too, is not in any way untainted by allegations of corruption – and definitely not the breath of fresh air he is made out to be. That Zimbabweans have not mobilised in large numbers to express their displeasure with the overt and infinite sleaze involving high-ranking ZANU-PF officials is primarily due to harsh restrictions placed upon them. The government has persistently weaponised the law and used violent measures to silence dissent. Zimbabwe, unfortunately, currently resembles Rhodesia, the colonial state that preceded its formation in 1980. A defining characteristic of Rhodesia was the state's steadfast resistance to the unencumbered expression of civil rights and majority rule. In May 2020, for instance, Joanah Mamombe, Netsai Marova and Cecillia Chimbiri were abducted, beaten and sexually assaulted by suspected state agents and subsequently jailed for leading an antigovernment protest. The flagrant disregard for fundamental constitutional tenets, such as the inalienable right to protest, underscores the ZANU-PF party's deep-seated unwillingness to adhere to the rule of law. This, together with a judiciary that is firmly captured, a security apparatus that is heavily politicised and a military that unashamedly operates as an armed extension of the ruling party, is impeding the sociopolitical stability of Zimbabwe. For 45 years, the government has wilfully neglected to protect vital constitutional liberties and ensure the integrity of elections. In many ways, the legacy of Rhodesia under Prime Minister Ian Smith, an unflinching white supremacist, is still very much alive in Zimbabwe. After the 'successful' March 31 protest, Geza intends to organise Mnangagwa's impeachment, claiming that the president is suffering from dementia. Regardless of whether he achieves his goal, there is a growing feeling that decisive action is needed to arrest the country's present trajectory. Nonetheless, simply swapping Mnangagwa for Chiwenga, a man whose sense of entitlement and lust for power far exceed his governance capabilities, will not yield the meaningful change that Zimbabweans aspire to achieve. What Zimbabwe truly needs is a comprehensive and democratic overhaul that garners support across civil society and the political divide. Any change must, for the first time in Zimbabwe's 45-year history, give free and tangible expression to the rights enshrined in the constitution. The ZANU-PF, above all, must abandon its Rhodesian style of governance. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial stance.
