President Emmerson Mnangagwa last week signed into law the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Amendment Bill which is meant to punish citizens whose words may be deemed to injure the country’s sovereignty and national interests.
The law will criminalise any action found to encourage the imposition of sanctions on the country among several other negative actions seen as harmful to Zimbabwe, including speaking ill of the country and/or the president.
We are, therefore, likely to see a lot of people arrested and jailed especially during this election period — a development that may spark anger among citizens.
Many Zimbabweans, civil society organisations and international bodies had not expected President Emmerson Mnangagwa to sign the bill and when he did append his signature on Friday, it came as a shock to many people.
But other than the clear dangers that this Patriotic law puts on the fundamental rights and freedoms of Zimbabweans, the timing of its promulgation makes it even more frightful. Next month Zimbabwe goes to elections and this law is likely to be used to crack down on any form of dissent in the country, making it very difficult for opponents of the ruling Zanu PF party to campaign without being arrested and jailed.
The arrival of this draconian law on the eve of elections in Zimbabwe, coupled with the curious issues surrounding the voters' roll, casts a black shadow on the impending plebiscite. These are some of the issues that opposition parties will likely raise when they refuse to accept election results. Even if they may have been beaten through fair vote, contestants to elections held under such glaringly uneven conditions will dispute the results. Who would blame them?
In fact, so much intrigue surrounds the issue of elections in Zimbabwe right now that it becomes very difficult for a fair-minded citizen to make head or tail of the prevailing scenario.
The manner in which the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is handling the issue of the voters' roll and information on polling stations raises eyebrows. The judiciary’s handling of cases involving incarcerated opposition MPs shows little regard to justice, and the way police are stifling opposition players’ campaign programmes while enabling and protecting ruling party rallies is hugely discouraging.
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Without solution or clarity on what is going on with the exercise where officials appear determined to frustrate citizens from voting, the road to August 23 remains difficult to navigate.
The obtaining scenario leading to the elections presents very real danger that Zimbabwe may once again be plunged into a very violent and bloody election that will produce a disputed result. The writing, bold and screaming, is there on the wall.
