Opposition activists and civil society leaders condemned attacks on venues in Harare and Bulawayo where they planned to challenge constitutional changes that would extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa's rule beyond 2030. Assailants firebombed the SAPES Trust building after midnight on Tuesday and burned activist Gilbert Mbwende's home while state security agents sealed off the Bulawayo location and blocked the scheduled briefings.
Lawyer Tendai Biti called the violence state-sponsored terrorism meant to silence resistance to presidential term limit amendments that the ruling ZANU-PF party announced on October 18. Former lawmaker Job Sikhala said the attacks showed the government's panic over public opposition to keeping Mnangagwa in power beyond his constitutional term.
About 10 attackers kidnapped a security guard and threw petrol bombs into the seminar room hours before the news conferences, SAPES director Ibbo Mandaza told reporters. Critics accuse ZANU-PF of crushing democratic opposition while the economy suffers from corruption and mismanagement since Mnangagwa replaced Robert Mugabe in 2017.
Lawyer Tendai Biti called the violence state-sponsored terrorism meant to silence resistance to presidential term limit amendments that the ruling ZANU-PF party announced on October 18. Former lawmaker Job Sikhala said the attacks showed the government's panic over public opposition to keeping Mnangagwa in power beyond his constitutional term.
About 10 attackers kidnapped a security guard and threw petrol bombs into the seminar room hours before the news conferences, SAPES director Ibbo Mandaza told reporters. Critics accuse ZANU-PF of crushing democratic opposition while the economy suffers from corruption and mismanagement since Mnangagwa replaced Robert Mugabe in 2017.
