The 2030 Agenda: A Death Knell for Zimbabwean Democracy? - by Elizabeth Chitengo

 23^rd February 2026

The 2030 Agenda: A Death Knell for Zimbabwean Democracy?

By Elizabeth Chitengo

The mask has slipped. What we are witnessing is no longer just "governance"—it is a desperate, iron-
fisted campaign by President Emmerson Mnangagwa and ZANU-PF to mutilate the constitution and entrench a lifelong autocracy under the guise of the "2030 Agenda."

The Machinery of Fear

The regime is no longer even pretending to respect the rule of law. Instead, it has unleashed a systematic wave of state-sponsored terror against anyone brave enough to stand in the way of a third term. To speak out against these constitutional amendments is to paint a target on your back.

We are seeing a resurgence of the darkest tactics in the ZANU-PF playbook:

 * Targeted Abductions: Dissenting voices are being snatched from the streets, subjected to enforced disappearances that leave families in agony.

 * Judicial Weaponization: Activists aren't just arrested; they are persecuted, denied medical care, and languish in cells without trial.

 * Calculated Brutality: Assault and intimidation have become the primary tools for "persuading" the public to accept a mandate that was never granted.

A Republic Held Hostage

This isn’t just a "weakening" of democratic foundations—it is a demolition. By suffocating public debate through violence, the authorities are admitting they cannot win an argument on merit. A government that fears its own people is a government that has lost its legitimacy.

The "climate of fear" currently paralyzing our streets is the ultimate indictment of the Mnangagwa administration. When the law is applied as a weapon against the opposition while shielding the corrupt elite, the "rule of law" becomes a hollow joke.

Enough is Enough

We are past the point of polite appeals. We demand an immediate cessation of the state-sponsored thuggery and the release of all political prisoners. The constitution is not a rough draft for ZANU-PF’s convenience; it is the soul of our nation.

The verdict is clear:

 * No to the illegal extension of presidential terms.

 * No to the subversion of the people's will.

 * No to the 2030 Agenda.

National progress cannot be built on a foundation of shallow graves and broken bones. Zimbabwe’s future belongs to its citizens, not to a ruling clique obsessed with power at any cost.

#NoTo2030Agenda

About the author
Elizabeth Chitengo is a human rights activist based in the United Kingdom. She is a member of the UK Chapter of Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe.  She can be contacted by email at elizabethchitengo98@gmail.com