Constitutional tinkering has become a Mugabe/ZANU PF speciality - and whenever Mugabe sees a way in which to rid himself of an opponent or change the laws of the land to enrich or benefit his party, he does it - with amazing alacrity…

And for some reason, it is accepted.

But perhaps the amendment passed by Parliament last week, was a step too far - even for Mugabe.

“Zimbabwe’s Parliament on Tuesday approved a widely condemned Bill that seeks to stop white farmers from challenging land seizures in court and to curtail the travel and voting rights of those without full citizenship. The Bill was passed by 103 votes against 29 in the 210-member house.

“It’s my hope that the process will be concluded with honesty and integrity.”

“Honesty and integrity”? Chinamasa should look up the words in a dictionary - because he would be very surprised at their true meaning.

It is a well known fact that Mugabe is not a full Zimbabwean. His father was Malawian and had the surname of Matabiri. Mugabe is the mother’s surname.

I have always maintained that Mugabe doesn’t even qualify to stand in an election to President of Zimbabwe as his nationality is not Zimbabwean.

Now Mugabe is attempting (and succeeding) in changing the rules again so that people with foreign parents cannot be Zimbabwean. The change curtails the travel and voting rights of those people who have foreign parents.

This then, must mean and include Mugabe!

Effectively, this amendment removes my Zimbabwean citizenship. And the next generation in my bloodline.

This is Mugabe remapping the playing field, effectively removing any and all possible opponents to his tenure in office, and, it would appear, he has written himself out of the Constitution.

“The Bill will also disenfranchise all those who have one or more foreign parents and hold permanent residence status but not full citizenship.

Chinamasa defended the Bill, saying: “It’s not morally right and patriotic for any Zimbabwean to gallivant the world on a Zimbabwean passport asking for a military invasion of Zimbabwe or the imposition of official and unofficial sanctions.”

Yet it seems to be acceptable that Zimbabwe is run by a dictator who is not Zimbabwean, and when he fails to get his own way, he threatens the population with war...

“The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party denounced the Bill, saying the ruling ZANU PF party was doing as it pleased.

“They want to curtail our freedom,” Welshman Ncube secretary general of the Arthur Mutambara lead MDC told AFP. “This is the rape of democracy.”

And in a stroke of a pen, my life and service in Zimbabwe (34 years’ worth), is wiped out. And there are other people, who have lived their entire lives in the country that we call Zimbabwe, who will have no rights to travel or vote.

Mugabe has effectively wiped out the democratic rights of many - but I do believe that this time he has done it to himself as well.

Robb WJ Ellis
The Bearded Man