The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition is deeply concerned about the passing of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Amendment Bill, popularly known as the “Patriotic Act”, by the government.
This development reflects a worrisome escalation of the use of laws to crackdown on the fundamental rights and freedoms of Zimbabweans, particularly regarding freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association.
Of major concern is that this is also happening a few weeks before Zimbabwe holds a crucial national election. Undoubtedly, this has every potential to further diminish the credibility of the entire electoral process.
It is surprising that at a time the government has invited foreign observers to come and observe our electoral process, it then chooses to gag citizens from talking about the same election, including its shortcomings which are all too glaring.
The determination by observer missions on their views of our elections is informed by the experiences of Zimbabwe’s citizens and institutions, both good and bad, and it is every citizen’s right to speak as they see things, not what the government wants to be said.
Essentially, this new law is yet another threat to the ability of citizens to engage in open political discourse and to participate freely in the electoral process.
This will without doubt undermine the inclusivity and fairness of the entire electoral process and ultimately compromise the overall legitimacy of the elections.
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) have already noted how the law is deliberately vague and excessively broad in its definition of liable offences; it “does not define sovereignty and national interest, which could be broadly and subjectively interpreted to criminalise the lawful conduct of those expressing their freedom of expression.”
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Yet, clear and precise definitions of criminal acts are crucial for individuals to understand the boundaries of their legal liabilities.
Some of the penalties proposed by the law for deliberately injuring the sovereignty and national interest of Zimbabwe — such as the death penalty, long imprisonment, loss of citizenship and banning of persons from electoral participation for five years — are too harsh and inappropriate for vaguely defined offences.
In addition, the provision for the death penalty means that the new law violates section 48 of Zimbabwe’s constitution, which only allows for the death penalty in cases of murder in aggravating circumstances.
As part of its longstanding commitment, the Coalition firmly opposes the death penalty without exceptions, irrespective of the nature of the crime, the characteristics of the offender, or the state's chosen method of execution.
The death penalty is a grave violation of the right to life as enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
Of greater concern is the law's potential to grant authorities excessive powers to curtail human rights.
It is clear that this law is just meant to curtail the rights and freedoms of those perceived to be critical of the government, including political activists, human rights defenders, journalists, civil society leaders, opposition parties, and whistleblowers.
Such actions by the government only cements our earlier assertions as the Coalition, that the ruling elites in Zanu PF want to turn Zimbabwe into a one-party state and dictatorship.
Before assenting to the two laws (Patriotic Bill and Labour Amendment Bill), President Emmerson Mnangagwa had on his desk six repressive laws, which await his assent to become law — these include the Judicial Laws Amendment Bill, Prisons and Correctional Services Bill, Police Amendment Bill and the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Amendment Bill.
All these Bills in essence are bringing new provisions that further curtail not only the rights and freedoms of Zimbabweans, but are generally meant to curtail and further shrink the civic an democratic space, and ensure Zimbabwe becomes a one party state where dissent and criticism of the ruling party is outlawed.
This, however, runs contrary to the promise of 1980 and an independent Zimbabwe and will surely be resisted by all genuinely “patriotic” Zimbabweans.
It is the duty of every Zimbabwe to defend the constitution and clearly the passing of this “Patriotic Bill” by the elites in Zanu PF is anti-developmental and is itself an act of unpatriotic behaviour.
The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition strongly urges the government of Zimbabwe to reconsider this Amendment Act and ensure that it upholds the principles of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
We call on the President to exercise restraint and take into account the concerns raised by civil society and human rights organisations.-Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
It’s time to talk real football
Zimbabwe’s re-admission into international football competitions is very refreshing. Surely, this is the moment that we football-loving fans have been waiting for so long. But, on the other hand, we must remind ourselves once again that our problems are still far from being solved — there is much more worthwhile work to be done on the ground.
Seriously, the fights of Zifa and SRC caused great damage to the football fraternity. It has been a difficult road since Zimbabwe was banned from international football last year. Anyway, Felton Kamambo’s board is gone — it's time to talk real football.
In particular, Fifa suspended the activities of Zifa last year after the government dissolved the leadership of Zifa in connection with allegations of embezzlement of public funds and failed to investigate several cases of sexual harassment committed by football officials.
In addition, Zimbabwe Warriors were drawn in Group C of the Caf World Cup qualifying tournament along with rivals Bafana Bafana (South Africa) and heavyweights Super Eagles (Nigeria).
To be honest, this is not an easy group, because each team will play hard to win a ticket to the World Cup and make history.
In truth, there are no underdogs in this group. What is needed is a good preparation. By doing so- we will get through this and achieve huge changes.
In fact- now is the time to prioritise the development of Zimbabwean football and put things in order in our house.
Let’s hope that this time football leaders will raise the development of football to a greater height. Football is not just about warriors - let's talk about the real development of football.
Football should start at the grassroots level. Do we currently have enough sports facilities suitable for international matches? To tell the truth, our stadiums are of poor quality.
Sometimes it's better to build new world-class stadiums than to keep upgrading old stadiums over and over again. Does it make any sense?
In the same vein, are we doing enough to promote young talents? Are we doing enough to groom young players? Do you have decent coaches who can move the game forward? Why is the number of football fans declining at an alarming rate? Do we still give priority to the development of football? If not, what should we do? Are sponsors still investing in football?
To revive the football sport in a country like Zimbabwe, it is necessary to implement several basic strategies.
Here are some sensible steps which l firmly believe can contribute to the development and growth of football.
- Infrastructure development:
Investments in the construction and improvement of football facilities, such as stadiums, training centres and mass fields, are very important, if not vital. Adequate infrastructure provides an excellent platform for training, competitions and attracting divine spectators.
- Grassroots development:
Promoting and nurturing God-given talents at the grassroots level is very important for the long-term growth of football. Initiatives such as youth leagues, school programmes, and community soccer clubs can help identify and develop young players by providing them with the best opportunities to demonstrate their core skills.
- Coaching and development Programs:
The implementation of coaching and development programs can improve the quality of coaching at all levels of football. Providing training and education to coaches can improve player development, understanding of tactics and overall performance of football
- Youth development:
Creating opportunities to promote young players through structured development programs is of paramount importance. The creation of youth academies and talent identification systems can nurture promising players and provide them with opportunities to move into professional football.
- Investments in facilities and equipment:
Ensuring that football clubs and academies have access to high-quality training equipment, medical facilities and sports science resources should be a top priority. Sufficient resources contribute to player development, injury prevention and overall performance improvement.
- League competitions and professionalism:
The development and maintenance of competitive and well-structured modern league systems is of great importance. Professional leagues with proper management, finances and commercial partnerships attract sponsors, generate revenue and increase the overall level of the game.
- Coaching and technical education:
Providing continuing education and professional development programs to coaches, referees and other technical personnel can enhance their skills and knowledge. Regular master classes, workshops and certifications contribute to the professionalization of football sports.
- Cooperation with international partners:
Interaction with international football organisations and establishing cooperation can bring experience, deep knowledge and great support.
- Good governance and transparency:
The introduction of strong governance structures, ensuring transparency and to encouraging ethical behaviour in football administration are key factors.
The observance of honesty, the fight against corruption and the maintenance of fair competition contribute to the development of a healthy football ecosystem.-Terrence Mwedzi
