Zimbabwe’s governing Zanu-PF party wins a two-thirds majority
Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF party secured victories in all six parliamentary by-elections held last Saturday, resulting in a two-thirds majority in parliament.
This outcome grants President Emmerson Mnangagwa the authority to amend crucial sections of the constitution. The opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) contends that these amendments could strengthen Mnangagwa’s hold on power.
The by-elections were prompted by the expulsion of some of the CCC’s MPs, which the CCC attributes to the actions of an individual it considers an imposter.
Despite the CCC’s loss in the general election last August, it had secured over 100 out of the 280 seats in the National Assembly, preventing Zanu-PF from obtaining a super-majority.
However, in October, Sengezo Tshabangu, previously unknown in Zimbabwean politics, submitted a letter to the parliamentary speaker alleging that certain CCC MPs no longer belonged to the party.
The CCC’s former leader, Nelson Chamisa denounced Tshabangu as a fraud and urged the speaker to disregard the letter. Nonetheless, the speaker declared vacancies in the affected constituencies, leading to the recent by-elections.
These by-elections mark the second round held following Tshabangu’s contentious intervention.
In the preceding month, Chamisa resigned from the CCC, a party he established just two years ago, accusing Zanu-PF of infiltrating and corrupting its ranks.
He described the party as “contaminated” and “hijacked” by the government, declaring his disassociation from what he termed “sewer politics” in a comprehensive statement.
Subsequently, two lawmakers resigned from parliament in solidarity with Chamisa, necessitating additional by-elections in the future.
President Mnangagwa came to power in 2017 following a bloodless coup that ousted long-time leader Robert Mugabe.
At the time he was seen as a beacon of change and hope for the struggling country.
However high inflation, unemployment, and censorship remain rife in Zimbabwe.