Churches call for Mugabe ouster

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Church organisations on Friday deposed a petition at Parliament calling for the impeachment of President Robert Mugabe, claiming his mental and physical condition was no longer fit for him to continue leading the country.

Church organisations on Friday deposed a petition at Parliament calling for the impeachment of President Robert Mugabe, claiming his mental and physical condition was no longer fit for him to continue leading the country.

BY OBEY MANYITI

Mugabe (92) has presided over ruinous policies that have seriously affected the socio-economic status of millions of citizens.

The political situation in the country has also deteriorated, with protests against Mugabe’s government breaking out around the country.

In the petition, Zimbabwe Divine Destiny, Christian Voice, Prayer Network of Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe Pastors’ Fellowship cited section 97 of the Constitution that has provisions under which a sitting president can be impeached.

The president can be impeached on account of serious misconduct, failure to obey, uphold or defend the Constitution, wilful violation of the Constitution and inability to perform the functions of the office because of physical or mental incapacity.

“In terms of section 90 of the Constitution, the president has an obligation to uphold, defend, obey and respect this Constitution and to ensure that all the other laws are faithfully observed. He is obligated to ensure the well-being of all the people of Zimbabwe, more particularly he is obligated to ensure protection of the fundamental human rights and freedoms and the rule of law,” reads the petition that gave numerous cases of how the president had allegedly abdicated on his duties.

The churches claimed that Mugabe had violated people’s socio-economic rights as he had presided over the collapse of the economy, resulting in approximately 90% unemployment against the promise to create over two million jobs in Zanu PF’s election manifesto of 2013.

They also alleged that Mugabe had failed to uphold the people’s rights to express themselves and to exercise the freedom of association.

“His recent threats on church leaders and war veterans over their expression of the deteriorating socio-economic and political situation are behaviour that does not suit statesmanship associated with the high office that he occupies,” the churches said.

“We are currently witnessing serious threats on fundamental tenets of constitutional democracy such as separation of powers through his threats on the judiciary services and his abuse of the police to illegally interfere in peaceful demonstrations.”

The petition added: “The State has continued with impunity to brutalise people for carrying out peaceful demonstrations, even after the court would have granted the order to carry out the same.”

The churches also charged that Mugabe’s old age was having a serious bearing on his work as he was failing to rein in rogue elements in his government.

They also noted that serious factional fights in Zanu PF were a cause for concern and Mugabe could not stamp his authority because of old age.

“Wherefore we call upon the two Houses of the legislature to specifically trigger the provisions of section 97 of the Constitution and commence processes to impeach the president,” added the churches.

As pressure mounts against Mugabe’s continued stay in power, the 92-year-old leader has threatened to deal with those leading protests against him, telling them to wait for the 2018 elections.