Leader of opposition political party, Build Zimbabwe Alliance’s online petition for state security agents to stop obeying unconstitutional orders, has gained momentum.
BAZ leader, Dr Noah Manyika, in his petition says authoritarian regimes cannot transform themselves, urging locals to unite in demanding an end to state sponsored persecution of perceived enemies.
Dr Manyika who is also Co-Chair of War on Poverty Trust, initiated the petition to Government of Zimbabwe, Parliament and citizens seeking a total of 5 000 signatures, and has so far garnered 4 046 signatures from concerned citizens.
He said the conflation of party and state, has led to security forces illegally enforcing ZANU PF’s bidding when they have an obligation and duty to resist unconstitutional orders from their superiors.
“Repressive governments have no incentive to change when the wall of protection around them is intact. Today, young soldiers, policemen and state security agents born just before or after 1980 are the strength of that wall.
“They perpetuate Zanu (PF)’s destructive rule at their own expense and yours, breaking down the doors of the regime’s perceived enemies in the dead of night and brutalizing citizens exercising their constitutional right to protest.
“The instruments of Zanu (PF)’s brutality who abduct, rape, kill are to be found among, your tribesmen, children, siblings, uncles, aunts, your friends, your in-laws. You may even be married to one of them, your neighbors, fellow workers, tenants, drinking partners, members of your faith community,” said Dr Manyika.
Dr Manyika made assurances to the security forces that forward thinking Zimbabweans were ready to offer their ‘complete support to those who take a stand’.
He said the state security was standing in the way of the full realization political freedoms as he appealed to Zimbabweans to append their signatures on the petition.
“Their failure to understand that it is illegal to obey an illegal and unconstitutional order stands between you and your freedom.
“Our duty to present and future generations is to awaken with over a million signatures, the conscience of the Born Frees in the regime’s Black Boots, Army, Police, Military Intelligence and Central Intelligence Organization (CIO) that it is legal to disobey illegal and unconstitutional orders and that the legal fraternity and every Zimbabwean will offer their complete support to those who will take a stand,” says Dr Manyika.
BAZ was registered as a political party in October 2016, and contested in the 2018 general elections, faring dismally but also challenged the results announced by the Zimbabwe Election Commission over irregularities.
BAZ supported Nelson Chamisa petition and after they also uncovered irregularities in final results announced by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), including double counting of polling stations, ghost polling stations and results that did not tally.
