By Correspondent
The heat at Vugwi Community Centre in Mberengwa is palpable, yet many people are stoically seated in the sun, waiting for the program to start.
Many won’t be able to contribute anything because the hall is already full.
Yet, no one is leaving.
Because once you get inside you are not allowed to exit.
Party bouncers have a lock on the gate.
While there is no regalia in sight proceedings later will reveal that almost all the people here are ZANU PF members.
Buses and lorries parked a few metres away stand as an indictment of the apparent shenanigans which are being engineered in broad daylight.
The party has driven masses of its local supporters to the venue to shore up support and present a positive image towards Constitutional Amendment Bill No3 (CAB3).
When the program does begin the positive support for CAB3 is too unanimous to believe.
“My name is Marvel Samupanga.
“I support the Bill in toto.
“By this I mean that I support everything in the Bill,” he says and the crowd breaks out in applause before the Chairperson Senator Maybe Mbowa strongly rebukes them.
Mbowa is the ZANU PF Women’s League Commissar.
The next speaker applauds the Bill for repealing the designation of 1st and 2nd Vice President.
“There should be equality so that no Province feels inferior.
“Again, none of the VPs should feel like he is entitled to succeed the President by virtue of being called 1st VP,” he says.
Four more speakers address the same clause with almost similar arguments betraying the coaching behind.
In the context of VP Chiwenga’s rumoured factional movements it’s clear this clause has a clear target.
Many of the speakers are patently products of coaching which has been done before.
One stutters for seconds and loses the whole line of his argument.
He is welcomed to seat down by a raucous wave of applause.
Again, the Chairperson Senator Mbowa calls for order.
By now it’s clear that this whole program is a formality where the ruling party is going through the motions.
Every other opposition face has been blocked at the gate and the few who have sneaked in are too fearful to voice their displeasure.
Towards the end one middle aged guy musters enough courage raises his hand and is picked to speak.
After stating his name he tries to explain his position.
“I’m against Bill No3,” is all that he manages to say before the hall erupts in jeers and heckling begins.
Senator Mbowa vainly tries to restore order but none is found.
The guy is heckled, shoved and derided for some minutes as the program teeters on the brink of mayhem.
Finally, after countless “Silence Honourables” Mbowa manages to restore order.
The guy is given another opportunity but after so much intimidation and shouting, he manages to croaks out a few limp lines.
As soon as he finishes he is literally dragged not just out of the hall but the premises by a huge mob chanting, “Bill 3 Bhoo!’.
Up until the event ends no one else stands to oppose the Bill.
A Planned Event
The template that plays out at Vugwi is eerily similar to events at four other areas in Midlands.
The same security setup, coaching of speakers and blocking of suspected opposition was done at Chachacha Civic Centre, Mvuma Vocational Training Centre and Mberengwa Education Hall.
At some of these centres the party members even had signals which they had been coached to use when raising hands.
This would allegedly help them to be identified as ‘friendly’.
In some instances they raised writing pens while in others they raised three fingers.
Wasted Process
In a belated move borne of frustration many in the opposition have decided to withdraw from the hearings.
This, most likely will clear the way for CAB3 and pave way for President Mnangagwa’s ambitions.
Currently, the president is chosen through a popular vote in direct elections and can only serve two terms.
If approved, the amendments will extend his current term to 2030.
With such engineered hearings its very likely that nothing can stop the party anymore.
————————————————
Love what we do? We’re dedicated to opening up democracy, one article, video and story at a time. If you find our reporting helpful, you can support the Magamba Network team by buying us a coffee. It’s quick, easy, and makes a real difference!
——————————————————-
