Former opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has taken a swipe at opposition legislators who voted in favour of the controversial Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment Bill No. 3.
The Bill sailed through the National Assembly after 216 legislators voted in support, while 42 voted against. Among those who backed the Bill were opposition Members of Parliament who entered the House following recalls initiated by Sengezo Tshabangu.
In a post on X, Chamisa criticised opposition lawmakers who supported the Bill, accusing them of betraying citizens who have suffered political violence, including abductions, assaults and, in some cases, enforced disappearances.
He alleged that some legislators had aligned themselves with the ruling party in exchange for financial benefits, including access to US$10,000 payments and luxury vehicles.
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“A shameful betrayal. We do not merely bear the scars of politics; we carry deep wounds. We have been severely bruised, abused and broken by this oppressive system of tyranny. Many of our friends and relatives lost their lives because of politics, and the pain remains as profound today as it was then,” Chamisa wrote.
“Some have been abducted and disappeared without a trace. Others have been forced to sleep in unimaginable places, including the mountains, simply to survive. We, along with many others, have been arrested, persecuted and subjected to relentless harassment. We have been left for dead after numerous assassination attempts.”
Chamisa lamented what he described as the continued suffering of citizens who have allegedly been denied access to opportunities and resources because of their political affiliation.
“We have been denied opportunities, marginalised and deprived of the resources and means necessary to improve our lives. Food, government support and opportunities have been politicised and weaponised. We have been excluded, humiliated, robbed and exploited continuously, day after day, season after season,” he said.
“And after all this, some choose to align themselves with and support the very oppressors and persecutors responsible for our suffering, all for money, personal benefits and the desire to illegally remain in this illegitimate Parliament.
“The citizens are the ultimate Parliament and shall determine the direction of our great country. To you, oppressors and your sidekicks, stop it or be stopped. Change cannot be delayed or denied any longer.”
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