Lessons From Zim’s November 2017 Coup

Brighton Mutebuka

Most ZANU PF members suddenly remember the vital role constitutionalism plays in a democracy at the height of succession battles.

Once their preferred candidate triumphs, they revert to default mode – a combo of pervasive indifference at the very least & active perpetrators of persecution at the very worst towards opposition members.

They develop either temporary or convenient amnesia once again as partisanship takes hold in furtherance of total party supremacy.

What’s needed is consistency & a shared set of values across the broad political spectrum during all political seasons.

Constitutionalism protects all of us at all material times. If & when it fails, it fails all of us.

Only those genuinely committed to upholding it deserve sympathy, support, solidarity & advocacy on their behalf.

It is not something to be used & discarded conveniently.

And so it shall be that, should it ever come to it again, neutrals & opposition members & supporters should only ever become involved if and only if constitutionalism is the ultimate & non-negotiable endpoint!

*Brighton Mutebuka is a renowned Zimbabwean lawyer and political analyst based in the UK