“GOD OR THE CONSTITUTION?”
Opposition Slams ‘Anointed to Rule’ Claim as Threat to Democracy
Opposition leader Jameson Timba has launched a blistering attack on claims that Zimbabwe’s leadership is “ordained by God,” warning that such rhetoric endangers the Constitution and the country’s democratic future.
Responding to remarks attributed to Paul Tungwarara, suggesting President Emmerson Mnangagwa is divinely chosen to rule until 2030, Timba insists Zimbabwe is a constitutional republic, not a theocracy. Power, he says, comes from the people through elections not prophecy.
“The Constitution is clear,” Timba argues. “Presidential terms are limited. No leader can extend their rule through religious language or political convenience.”
He warns that using faith to justify unconstitutional ambitions cheapens religion and weakens democracy. While churches play a vital moral role, Timba says faith must never be used to silence dissent or intimidate citizens.
History, he cautions, shows that when leaders claim divine entitlement, accountability collapses. Zimbabweans, he says, are not debating theology, they are defending the Constitution.