Oscar J Jeke- Zim Now Writer
A veteran of the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Togara Fambi, has made a dramatic transition from law enforcement to opposition politics, launching a new party just weeks after retiring.
The National Progressive Democrats, officially registered with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission on August 14, 2025, aims to challenge the long-standing rule of ZANU PF in the upcoming 2028 elections.
Fambi's move is particularly significant given his history within the ZRP, an institution frequently accused of acting as a political tool for the ruling party.
The text highlights a long history of police crackdowns on opposition figures such as Morgan Tsvangirai, Nelson Chamisa, Tendai Biti, and Job Sikhala, with rallies blocked and activists arrested under the pretext of maintaining "law and order." Fambi, who served within this very system, now promises to dismantle it.
His decision was met with personal distress from his mother, Emily, who tearfully warned him of the risks, referencing the violence often associated with opposing ZANU PF.
Fambi, however, remains undeterred, stating he's prepared to die for his cause and even showing his mother a grave site where he wishes to be buried if tragedy strikes.
This personal anecdote underscores the pervasive climate of fear faced by those entering politics outside of the ruling party.
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Despite these challenges, the NPD was formally launched on June 29, 2025, and already claims over 500 members.
Its leadership is a mix of veterans and civic actors, including Kumbirai Munyaradzi Chenhare (Vice President),Munyaradzi Chindundu (Organising Secretary),Willis Magwaza (Secretary-General) Tendai Kabasa (National Chairman),Obert Sixpence (Spokesperson)
The party’s symbol is a clenched fist with a thumb-upwards, and its colors are orange, black, and white.
The party has ambitious goals, including establishing provincial executives in all ten provinces before the year's end.
Fambi sees his police background not as a liability but as an asset, believing his "insider understanding" of how the state uses security forces to stifle dissent will aid his party's strategies.
He and his party leadership are confident, with Chindundu vowing at the launch that "Come 2028, there will be no ZANU PF in power."
The NPD faces the same obstacles as previous opposition movements in Zimbabwe: limited resources, an uneven playing field, and systemic repression. The party's founders, however, believe that determination and persistence can shift the balance of power.
Fambi's declared motto, "Chisingaperi chinoshura" (nothing lasts forever), symbolizes his break with the past and his promise to turn the tools of repression into instruments of change.
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