ZIMSPHERE
JULIUS Malema, the impassioned leader of South Africa's left-leaning Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), has issued a fervent call to Zimbabwean youths, urging them to "rise against the tyranny" of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
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| EFF leader Julius Malema [Image: Getty Images] |
Malema asserted that such an uprising is essential to prevent Mnangagwa from extending his tenure beyond constitutional limits.
Malema's remarks that confronting the system directly is the only way for Zimbabwean youths to extricate themselves from the quagmire they wallow in come in the wake of a fierce crackdown targeting opposition politicians and activists, with numerous arrests having been reported.
The government maintains these arrests are meant to avert chaos and disorder ahead of the SADC Summit to be hosted in Harare, Zimbabwe from the 17th to 19th August 2024. Mnangagwa will assume the rotating SADC chairmanship during the summit.
"The Zimbabwean youths must rise because that nonsense will never come to an end as long as there is no unity of purpose against the tyranny, against the suppression of political wishes of Zimbabweans," Malema declared as he delivered a lecture at Rhodes University on Security and Good Governance in Africa.
"When it comes from us, it will have more weight than when it comes from Europe. Why? Because we are brothers and sisters; they will know it’s friendly fire."
Malema also highlighted the weakened state of Mnangagwa's deputy, Constantino Chiwenga, who played a crucial role in the 2017 military coup that deposed Robert Mugabe.
According to Malema, Chiwenga is now incapacitated and unable to thwart Mnangagwa's reported bid for a third term.
"When you ask what is the resolution, no one has taken a resolution. We need a clear resolution from SADC which gives clear timelines that by this time this should have happened. Otherwise, Mnangagwa is going to come back, and he has nothing to offer at all," Malema stated.
"Chiwenga is done; he will not be anything. They used him. Chiwenga is no longer the most powerful military man in Zimbabwe now.
"They have weakened him. Only the power of the youth of Zimbabwe can change the political status quo, and the Zimbabweans have to know that we are with them."
Malema's appeal extends to the significant Zimbabwean diaspora in South Africa. "Go and fight from there," he urged.
"It’s high time that you take it upon yourselves to organise so that we know that at least you’re also doing something."
Although Mnangagwa has publicly declared he does not intend to seek a third term, the ZANU-PF party apparatus has already begun to clamour for the 81-year-old leader to remain in power, a move widely seen as a blatant violation of the country's Constitution, which limits presidential terms to two.
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