Sibanda appointment causes outrage
Peter Moyo
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander, General Philip Valerio Sibanda as an ex officio Zanu PF politburo member, in a move that may be unconstitutional and an assault on democracy.
The shock announcement was made in Mnangagwa’s closing remarks at a Zanu PF conference in Gweru yesterday.
“During the course of the year, we lost one of our party stalwarts, Cde Joshua Teke Malinga who was the Secretary for People with Disabilities.
“To fill the vacancy, I am appointing, Cde Rose Mpofu of Matabeleland South Province as a Politburo Member and the new Secretary for People with Disabilities.
“Additionally, ‘Cde Gwenzi’, General, Phillip Valerio Sibanda, as an Ex Officio Member of the Politburo,” Mnangagwa said.
Sibanda’s appointment flies in the face of the country’s supreme law-the constitution. Section 208, Sub-section 2 of the constitution, reads, “Neither the security services nor any of their members may in the exercise of their functions act in a partisan manner, further the interests of any political party or cause, prejudice the lawful interests of any political party and that serving members of the security services must not be active members or office bearers of any political party or organization.”
It is an open secret in Zimbabwe that the military is in bed with the ruling party. George Charamba, the presidential spokesperson, has in the past referred to the military as ZANU PF’s “11th Province.” However never before has a serving military official taken up a leadership position in a political party.
Serving security officers have been dismissed for associating with the oppositon.
A police officer based in Nkayi, Matabeleland North, Henry Masimbe, was charged for attending a Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) rally addressed by party leader, Nelson Chamisa, at Nesingwe Growth Point in August this year.He was charged with contravening paragraph 48(1) of the schedule to the Police Service [Chapter 10:11], which pertains to “actively participating in politics.”
In 2018, Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) fired the prison officer accused of undermining President Emmerson Mnangagwa by addressing MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa as “my president” in a tweet.
On the eve of the 23 August election this year Barbara Rwodzi, a Zanu PF MP for Chirumanzu and minister was recorded insulting and threatening a police officer who had arrested a Zanu PF member for tearing down CCC posters. The police officer has allegedly gone AWOL.
In past elections, military commanders vowed never to “salute” an opposition leader emerging from the country’s polls.
