News Analysis | Let’s Rescue Our Captured Constitution First: Why Zimbabwe’s Path to Change Begins With Legal Restoration

By @Gushaz

In the flurry of political speeches, revolutionary hashtags, and policy wishlists sweeping across Zimbabwe’s activist circles, one glaring truth remains sidelined: our constitution is captured, and until it is rescued, nothing else will hold. This isn’t just a legal technicality — it is the very root of Zimbabwe’s multifaceted crisis.

The Constitution: Broken Backbone of the State

The 2013 Constitution was a landmark document born out of a painstaking process of negotiation, participation, and hope. It was meant to signify a new dawn — a democratic contract between the state and the people. Instead, what we’ve witnessed in the years since is the deliberate subversion and manipulation of that contract by a regime intent on entrenching power, shielding impunity, and blocking reform.

What use is a constitution if it can be amended to serve the whims of the ruling elite? What value does Section 59 (freedom of assembly) hold when peaceful protesters are met with violence? How can we speak of electoral democracy when institutions meant to oversee fair elections are staffed with partisan actors?

The constitution today exists only in name. Its spirit has been hollowed out by executive overreach, judicial capture, and legislative paralysis. And therein lies the root cause of every other crisis — economic decay, corruption, public service collapse, and the mass exodus of skilled Zimbabweans.

The Revolution Needs a Reset — And a Legal Anchor

Calls for radical change are echoing louder by the day. But without constitutional restoration, even the most well-intentioned revolution risks collapsing into chaos or reproducing the same authoritarian tendencies it seeks to dismantle.

It’s time to put constitutionalism back at the centre of the national agenda. Let’s rescue the constitution first. Not later. Not as an afterthought. Now.

As activists rightly note, Section 212 of the Constitution empowers the national security services to act in defense of the country’s interests. But how can this be meaningfully invoked if those same institutions are compromised and manipulated?

A revolution without a legal compass is susceptible to fragmentation and repression. A revolution anchored in the constitution, however, can gain moral legitimacy, international solidarity, and sustainable momentum.

Geza Revolution: A Vision Needing Constitutional Grounding

The “Geza Revolution” manifesto presents a bold, people-centered roadmap: free education, healthcare reform, economic empowerment, infrastructure rehabilitation, and job creation. These demands are not only desirable — they are essential. But achieving them outside the framework of a functioning, independent legal system will invite instability and abuse.

We cannot legislate empowerment without a credible parliament. We cannot deliver free maternal care without a judiciary that defends budget transparency. We cannot regulate banking or nationalize mines fairly without laws that protect citizens over cronies.

Momentum Must Be Rekindled — and Redirected

Many revolutionaries today are losing hope — frustrated by the slow pace of change, divided strategies, and fear of repression. But what’s missing is not just action; it’s direction. The movement must coalesce around one non-negotiable demand: constitutional restoration as the precondition for all other reforms.

This means:

• Reinstating the original 2013 Constitution without the regime’s self-serving amendments.
• Demanding the independence and integrity of the judiciary.
• Rebuilding institutions that uphold democratic checks and balances.
• Holding those who have subverted the constitution accountable — legally and publicly.

Final Word: The Fight Is Legal, Moral, and Political

This is not just about legalism. This is about the soul of Zimbabwe’s democracy. When the constitution is captured, everything else becomes negotiable — rights, resources, justice, and sovereignty.

So before we talk about free education or nationalized mines, we must reclaim the document that makes those dreams possible. The fight ahead is risky, but it must be strategic. It must be radical in vision and grounded in law.

Let’s not just chase revolution for revolution’s sake. Let’s make this a revolution for restoration. Let’s rescue our constitution first — and build everything else on solid ground.

Aluta continua. Action, Action, Action.

@Gushaz