24th August 2026
By Rumbidzai Thelma Chidewu
Human Rights Activist and Secretary General, Constitution
Defenders’ Forum (CDF) UK Federation
Zimbabweans are once again forced to ask a painful but essential question: Who does the government truly serve?
Across the nation, a growing sense of alarm is taking hold:
decisions made by those in authority increasingly appear to safeguard political
interests and the powerful, while ordinary citizens bear the full brunt of
their consequences.
From the tragedy on Lake Kariba, to the demolition of
people’s homes, to proposals that could bar ordinary citizens from obtaining
professional driving licences, and now the appointment of additional Senators
under Constitutional Amendment No. 3,
a deeply troubling picture is emerging.
These developments may seem unrelated, but together they
converge on one fundamental issue: Where is the accountability to the
people?
The Lake Kariba Tragedy: A Disaster That Demands Answers
The loss of life in the Lake Kariba ferry disaster is far
more than an unfortunate accident — it is a national tragedy that demands
rigorous scrutiny of safety standards, inspection protocols, passenger
capacity, and emergency preparedness.
Survivors and witnesses reported that the vessel began
taking on water shortly after departure and was severely overcrowded.
Authorities later confirmed the ferry had sailed well beyond its authorised
passenger limit. This alone raises urgent questions:
- Who inspected the vessel before it cast off?
- Who bore responsibility for ensuring passenger limits were respected?
- Were sufficient life jackets provided, and were passengers briefed on
emergency procedures?
- Was the vessel genuinely fit to carry the number of people on board?
Most importantly: How many lives could have been saved had basic safeguards been in place?
Lake Kariba is vast, and its waters are a critical lifeline
for communities with few transport alternatives. The government cannot leave
citizens with no choice but to wait indefinitely or board an overloaded vessel
— people should never have to risk their lives simply to travel.
This tragedy calls for more than words of condolence.
Zimbabweans deserve a fully transparent, independent investigation,
accountability where negligence is proven, and binding measures to ensure such
a catastrophe can never happen again. A responsible government does not only
respond after lives are lost — it acts to prevent avoidable deaths in the first
place.
Demolishing Homes: The Human Cost of Enforcement
The ongoing demolition of homes and structures deemed
“unauthorised” is causing profound hardship. There is, of course, a legitimate
need for proper urban planning — no country can function sustainably when land
is developed without regard for infrastructure, services, and environmental
safeguards.
Yet we must ask: How were these situations allowed to
arise in the first place, and who bears the cost of administrative failure?
Many families poured their savings, years of labour, and
hopes for a better future into the homes they built. If authorities knew these
areas were being settled, why was development permitted to continue unchecked
for years? If land was allocated unlawfully, those who authorised or
facilitated those allocations must also be held to account. Officials cannot
simply turn a blind eye until it is politically convenient — then walk away
while ordinary citizens lose their livelihoods and shelter.
The law must be upheld, but enforcement must be fair,
proportionate, and humane. Demolishing a family home without providing a viable
alternative creates a humanitarian crisis. Government has a dual duty: to
uphold the rule of law and to protect the dignity of its people.
Five O‑Levels and the Right to Earn a
Living
A further cause for widespread concern is the proposal
before Parliament to require professional driving licence applicants to hold
five O‑Level
passes — including English and Mathematics.
Road safety is paramount. Professional drivers carry lives
in their hands; they must be trained, competent, medically fit, and held to
high standards. But academic qualifications are not the same thing as driving
ability. A person may lack five O‑Levels yet be an experienced,
careful, and highly skilled driver — just as someone with impressive academic
credentials can still be unsafe behind the wheel.
If the goal is safer roads, the focus should be on rigorous
professional training, practical and theoretical testing, medical assessments,
ongoing monitoring, and stricter enforcement. Education is to be encouraged —
but we must not erect unnecessary barriers that prevent hardworking Zimbabweans
from earning a living.
The critical question remains: Will this requirement
actually improve road safety, or simply place another hurdle in the path of
people already struggling to make ends meet in a harsh economic climate?
Constitutional Amendment No. 3: Power, Representation, and
Democracy
The appointment of additional Senators under Constitutional
Amendment No. 3 also merits
full public scrutiny. The Constitution may provide the legal mechanism for
these appointments — but legality is not the measure of legitimacy.
Democracy is not merely about whether something can be done
legally. It is about whether the exercise of power strengthens public trust,
accountability, fair representation, and democratic governance. The inclusion
of figures linked to various political parties has fuelled legitimate debate
about political co‑option and the future of opposition politics.
Zimbabweans should be asking more than: “Is this
constitutional?” We must also ask:
- Does this strengthen Parliament’s independence?
- Does it enhance democratic representation?
- Does it give ordinary citizens a stronger voice?
- Or does it expand the Executive’s influence over an institution meant to hold
power to account?
These are not acts of disloyalty — they are the questions of
a free people. Holding government to account is not being anti‑government.
It is the duty of every responsible citizen.
Zimbabwe Needs Prevention — Not Just Condolences
A dangerous pattern has taken root: something goes wrong,
people suffer, the government expresses regret, investigations are promised —
and once public attention fades, the root causes remain unaddressed.
We can no longer accept this cycle. A responsible government
must be proactive.
- Vessels must be inspected before they sail — not after
they sink.
- Land allocation must be lawful before people settle — not after homes are
built.
- Humanitarian impact must be weighed before demolitions are carried out.
- Policies must be proven effective before they become law.
- And constitutional changes must be debated publicly before they alter the
balance of power.
Zimbabwe Belongs to Its People
Let us be clear: The President is not Zimbabwe. The Government is not Zimbabwe. No political party is Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe belongs to its people.
Those who hold public office are temporary custodians — not
owners of the nation. Citizens deserve a government that listens before
disaster strikes; that acts before homes are destroyed; that consults before
policies affect livelihoods; and that prioritises the common good over
political advantage.
The Kariba tragedy must be more than a period of mourning — it
must be a national wake‑up call. Demolitions must
force us to confront administrative failure. New licensing rules must be judged
by their real‑world impact. And constitutional changes must spark a
deeper conversation about the kind of country we want to build.
Zimbabwe does not need a government that only acts when harm
is already done. It needs:
✅ Preventative leadership, not
just post‑crisis sympathy
✅ Institutions that are
accountable to all
✅ Leaders who listen before
deciding
✅ Laws that protect the
vulnerable equally
✅ A political culture where the
people’s interests come first
The time has come to demand not just development — but justice.
Not just laws — but fairness. Not just stability — but genuine democracy.
The people are watching. The people are asking. And the
people have a right to answers.
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