Zim’s Patriotic Bill: State approval needed to meet with foreign governments

With Zimbabwe teetering on the brink, the ruling Zanu-PF is mooting the Patriotic Bill in a country that an analyst described as beyond being saved by any external mediation to restore political and human rights stability.

Human rights lawyer Nqobizitha Mlilo said Zimbabweans faced a grim prospect of the Bill being passed into law, warning that the government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa exercised law “to justify a political end”.

State-run Sunday Mail has quoted parliamentary affairs official Virginia Mabhiza as confirming that parts of the new Bill – set to forbid any citizen from holding meetings with foreign governments without state approval – was already drafted.

Amid fears on possible silencing of political dissent, Mlilo said the Bill would become law in Zimbabwe.

“I do not have any qualms with any attempt to revive Zimbabwean patriotism, as long as it is done to advance the broader interests of all Zimbabweans – not necessarily a narrow political end.

“Any law must be consistent with the constitution – not a ploy to curtail democratic space or citizens’ right to expression. We must not confuse patriotism with closure of a democratic space.”

Under the Mnangagwa presidency, Zimbabwe has seen several activists, such as politician Jacob Ngarivhume and journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, being arrested – incidents that have seen President Cyril Ramaphosa sending emissaries to engage with Zanu-PF over human rights violations, without success.

Ruling out any success of an external mediation in Zimbabwe, Mlilo said: “There is absolutely no space for mediation in Zimbabwe – not now or in the near future – due to conditions not being right.

“There is no objective reason why Zanu-PF should agree to any mediation. The ANC and the apartheid regime entered into negotiations because both parties were being mutually hurt by the political environment in South Africa.

“They had an interest in finding a solution that is mediated.”

The same could not be said about Zimbabwe under Zanu-PF.

“As a political party, the ANC does not have the muscle to force Zanu-PF to do what it wants.

“There is no internal pressure from the [Movement for Democratic Change] or external pressure from the ANC to tilt the balance of forces, something that has given Zanu-PF ammunition to tell the ANC to ‘get off’.”

“And there will be no threat to Zanu-PF to do the right thing in the forseeable future. The only way the ANC can force Zanu-PF to negotiations, is to close the Beitbridge border post.

“But that is not going to happen,” said Mlilo.

– brians@citizen.co.za

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