The Patriotic Alliance says it remains resolute in representing the long-silenced voices of Matabeleland, citing decades of marginalisation, exclusion and unresolved injustices.
In a statement, party spokesperson Chilumbo Mudenda said the alliance would continue to speak out, particularly on the Gukurahundi atrocities, which he described as a painful chapter that remains unresolved.
“There can be no unity without truth, no peace without justice, and no future without accountability,” Mudenda said. “For far too long, our people have been treated as spectators in decisions that define their lives. We reject, in the strongest terms, elite decision-making.”
Mudenda insisted that power belongs to the people and warned that any attempt to amend the Constitution without their direct involvement is illegitimate.
“A referendum is not a favour — it is a democratic necessity. It is the only credible path when dealing with fundamental constitutional provisions. Anything less is a betrayal of democracy,” he said.
The alliance also criticised what it called a rushed programme by the Parliament of Zimbabwe to conduct so-called public hearings from March 30 to April 2.
Mudenda said four days was insufficient to deliberate on issues of national importance.
“Four days to decide matters that shape the destiny of a nation is manipulation. It is an insult to the people and a mockery of democratic processes,” he said.
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He contrasted the timeline with the constitution-making process, which took more than five months of nationwide consultations.
“Today, the same government seeks to compress such a critical process into four days and call it ‘public participation’. We reject this deception completely,” Mudenda said.
He warned that any process lacking genuine public input amounts to a rubber-stamping exercise designed to legitimise pre-determined outcomes.
Mudenda said the alliance would invoke constitutional rights if the hearings proceed without meaningful engagement.
“We will exercise our rights to assemble, demonstrate, petition and speak freely. These are not privileges granted by the state — they are rights owned by the people,” he said.
He added that any attempt to suppress dissent would be unconstitutional and resisted.
“A government that fears the voice of its people has already lost legitimacy,” Mudenda said.
He noted that concerns over the process are shared widely across society, including legal experts, churches, civic groups, students and some within state institutions.
“The question is: who is the government listening to — the people, or a small, disconnected elite? We will not legitimise processes designed to deceive and weaken citizens,” he said.
