Justin

Thank you, Member of Parliament, @chigumbu_, for tagging me in this post. The only question I have for you, MP, is this: why are members of parliament failing to come out and not only declare their position on this issue, but also publicly state that if Constitutional Amendment Bill Number 3 is passed, they will step down in 2028? Surely, if one genuinely believes that the Constitution is being violated, then they cannot continue to hold office under an unconstitutional arrangement. In my view, any member of parliament who says they are opposed to the bill but stops there is not being entirely genuine. If they are sincere, they should clearly say: “I am opposed to the bill, and if it is passed into law, I will step down in 2028 because I refuse to be part of the violation of the Constitution.” Naturally, such a position would trigger by-elections, but that is the price of defending constitutionalism and the rule of law. To my knowledge, the only politician who has publicly taken that principled position is the Mayor of Bulawayo, David Coltart. He has clearly stated that if Constitutional Amendment Bill Number 3 is passed into law, he will step down in 2028 when his term constitutionally ends. He has said he will not be part of a violated Constitution carrying what he believes would be an illegal law if the amendment bypasses a referendum. It really is that simple. Those who are truly opposed to the amendment should be willing to say publicly: “If this passes, I will leave office in 2028.” If they cannot say that, then people are justified in questioning how genuine their opposition really is.