Harare. A rubber stamp. That is what Zimbabwe's parliament has become. Today, they voted to extend the term of President Emmerson Mnangagwa's successor. A move that reeks of continuity, not change.
The bill sailed through. 178 votes in favour. Zero against. The opposition boycotted. A pathetic spectacle. Mnangagwa's ZANU-PF machine grinding on.
The details are murky. The amendment extends the presidential term from five to six years. Critics call it a constitutional coup. Supporters say it aligns with regional norms. A convenient excuse.
This is about one thing: power. Mnangagwa, the 'Crocodile,' wants to ensure his legacy. He took over after a military coup in 2017. Mugabe's ouster was a palace job, not a people's revolution. Nothing has changed. The economy is in tatters. Inflation is running rampant. The opposition is crushed.
Why now? Mnangagwa's term ends in 2023. This gives him two more years. Time to anoint a successor? Or time to cling on? The party elders are jostling. Factions are forming. This extension is a lifeline.
The West is quiet. Sanctions remain but are toothless. China is investing. Russia is friendly. Mugabe's grandson is in parliament now. Symbolism.
Back home, the people suffer. Unemployment is over 80%. The currency has collapsed. But the elite feast. Mugabe's widow, Grace, is in Singapore. Living in luxury. The party bosses are building new mansions. The extension protects their privileges.
The opposition is in disarray. Nelson Chamisa's MDC is fractured. They boycotted the vote. A mistake. They should have fought inside. Now they are irrelevant.
The judiciary is co-opted. The media is muzzled. The security forces are loyal. This extension is a fait accompli. Mnangagwa will serve his full term. His successor will be handpicked.
What comes next? More of the same. Austerity. Repression. Corruption. The people will suffer. They always do. Zimbabwe is a tragedy.
Mugabe is dead. But his ghost haunts the country. The parliament is a graveyard of democracy. Today's vote is a tombstone.
The game continues. The players change. The rules remain. The Crocodile smiles. The people weep.
