How Gapa and his political thugs are Sabotaging BRICS, UNSC and NDS2
By Tete Getty | Economic Journal | tetegetty.com
31 March 2026, a public hearing on Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3) at Harare’s City Sports Centre turned into an international embarrassment. What should have been a mature consultation on our constitutional future descended into chaos: rowdy ZANU-PF-aligned youths stormed the venue, disrupted proceedings, and prevented open debate. In full view of cameras, central committee member Luckmore Tinashe Gapa snatched human rights lawyer Douglas “Doug” Coltart’s phone. Moments later, Coltart was beaten by a mob of suspected party supporters — his phone stolen, eyeglasses smashed, bruises left as evidence. The footage is now viral, permanent, and damning.
Zimbabwe submitted serious applications in March: one to join BRICS and another pushing for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council. These are not small moves. They sit on opposite ideological poles, but both demand credibility, stability, and rule of law. Instead of showcasing the progress we’ve made under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) — 6%+ growth momentum, reserve accumulation, infrastructure rollout, and fiscal discipline — we handed the world a mob scene that screams “not ready.”
As someone who has defended NDS2 tooth and nail because it is delivering the Second Great Zimbabwe we all want for our children, I am furious. This is not “revolutionary zeal.” This is self-inflicted sabotage by a few ideological dinosaurs still stuck in Mugabe era violence discourse — thinking thuggery and intimidation can substitute for modern statecraft. If you don’t know what that means, ask. Stop pretending slogans justify criminality on camera. Economically progressive Zimbabweans in ZANU-PF are just as furious. We are on a promising trajectory. Promising economic trends were finally aligning: investor interest returning, tourism recovering, mining and agriculture stabilising. Then this clown show diverts everything. Kurwa pachenyu kunounza mhepo — you’ve stirred up a storm and blown us off course.
If this violence and defence of open theft is not nipped in the bud immediately, here is the very real, perfectly legal economic hits Zimbabwe will face (exactly as South Africa suffered after its 2025 xenophobic outbreaks that cost billions):
》Capital flight and stalled FDI: Serious investors (BRICS New Development Bank included) run cold risk assessments. Public footage of theft and assault raises governance flags — projects pause, capital reroutes to stable neighbours.
》Higher borrowing costs: Country risk premiums spike overnight. Every loan, bond, or infrastructure deal becomes 2–4% more expensive because lenders price in “stability risk.”
》Credit rating damage: Agencies like Moody’s and S&P watch rule-of-law breakdowns. Any delay in upgrades — or fresh downgrades — kills the Vision 2030 narrative.
》BRICS hesitation: Member states are pragmatic. They will not fast-track a partner whose public hearings look like street fights. Deeper integration, trade preferences, and tech transfers get frozen.
》UNSC bid credibility collapse: You cannot lecture the world on peace and security while your own constitutional process looks like a brawl. Diplomatic goodwill evaporates.Corporate pull-outs and legal claims: Multinationals already wary of Zimbabwe will cite “human rights and security risks” in boardrooms — perfectly legal under their ESG mandates — and redirect billions elsewhere.
》Tourism and diaspora investment freeze: Negative global headlines kill the “new Zimbabwe” story. Remittances and visitor numbers dip exactly when we need them most. South Africa is still bleeding from similar self-harm. We cannot repeat it.
ZANU-PF leadership must act now. These are your ranks. Suspend, discipline, or expel the bad apples — starting with Gapa and anyone who defends this thuggery. Publicly. Loudly. Immediately. Rule of law is not optional; it is the foundation NDS2 stands on. Defending criminals caught on camera is not loyalty — it is treason against the national economy.
The shame will live online forever. Our children will Google this. Any economic hit that follows is on those who tolerated it.
Fix the damage. Put NDS2 and Zimbabwe’s best interests first — or watch the future we are building slip away because a few thick-headed mbavhas couldn’t control themselves. Rule of law or economic suicide. Those are our only choices back to International standards for us to enjoy our Multipolar dimensional outlook on International Trade.
Tete Getty Economic Journal | tetegetty.com —Defending the Second Great Zimbabwe — even when it means rebuking idiots in the family.
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