By Staff Reporter
HARARE — The Defend the Constitution Platform (DCP), a coalition uniting organisations and individuals from diverse backgrounds in defence of Zimbabwe’s supreme law, announced a campaign targeting what it describes as entrenched abuses by the ruling elite.
DCP, described in its public governance framework as inclusive, non‑partisan, and political by nature, and dedicated to defending and implementing the Constitution through peaceful and lawful citizen‑led action, said it is pursuing a two‑fold strategy against state power.
Jameson Timba, DCP convenor and opposition leader, is at the helm of the initiative.
The group brings together civil society organisations, labour activists, and other stakeholders to collaborate on defending the Constitution and promoting accountability and justice.
In a Thursday statement, DCP’s deputy coordinator for the labour and livelihoods desk, Obert Masaraure, said the pressure group is framing its campaign as both constitutional protection and the delivery of rights.
“We aren’t just protecting a piece of paper from the predatory 2030 Agenda; we are demanding the delivery of the rights already promised to us.
“When the state ignores the Bill of Rights, they aren’t just breaking rules; they are conducting a direct assault on the working class,” the statement said.
The statement added: “The current Constitution contains solid rights to food, housing, and dignity.
“However, under the current regime, these are being treated as suggestions rather than mandates,” the statement further read.
The DCP said its approach aims to defend workers’ rights and mobilise citizens in asserting those rights through organised collective action.
The 2030 Agenda, which Zimbabwean political actors commonly use to refer to government plans to extend presidential tenure and development goals linked to Vision 2030, has been a flashpoint for contention.
Domestic civil society groups have criticised aspects of the agenda, saying it has been used to justify political manoeuvring and suppress dissent.
Independent monitoring groups have documented a spike in politically motivated human rights violations, including assaults, threats, and curtailment of freedom of assembly and expression.
One civic watchdog, the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP), reported thousands of violations in early 2025 alone, linked to political activity and food distribution processes tied to the ruling party’s agenda.
Human rights organisations have also raised alarms about civil society repression more broadly, noting government moves to revoke NGO registrations and introduce restrictive laws that undermine freedoms of association and expression.
In its statement, the DCP singled out violations of workers’ economic rights, saying the state has denied public service employees collective bargaining powers and treated constitutional rights as optional.
The group insisted its campaign was necessary to compel the government to “deliver the rights already promised to us” and uphold the constitutional protections for dignity and livelihoods.
The DCP’s two‑pronged strategy, as outlined, combines constitutional defence with organised campaigns to press for enforcement of existing rights and to hold state institutions accountable for their actions.
