MPs intensify fight to stay in parliament

Parliamentarians from all the three political formations in the inclusive government have intensified their efforts to re-claim seats in the House of Assembly.

The MDC-T, which has come under fire for shielding incumbents, last month held a strategic meeting in Nyanga where it deliberated on the upcoming elections and reviewed the calibre of candidates and criteria that the party would adopt in fielding its Parliamentary candidates.

"We want to field people who are tried and tested, who have the people's interests at heart and will be able to take the struggle to democratise Zimbabwe to the finishing line, as we have now entered the last mile", said an MDC-T national executive member this week who requested anonymity.

The Welshman Ncube-led MDC last month made an open call for the nomination of both MPs and councillors which will close on Thursday next week.

Nhlanhla Dube, the MDC spokesperson, said the call was meant to "provide transparency and accountability" on the party's structures and avoid the imposition of candidates.

Saviour Kasukuwere, the Youth Development, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Minister and MP for Mount Darwin is also criss-crossing the country to drum up support for this party, Zanu-PF.

Rashweat Mukundu, chairperson of the Zimbabwe Democracy Institute, said the unfolding fight to win parliamentary seats could easily precipitate into festering divisions at party level in Zanu-PF and the MDC formations if it was not carefully handled.

"The fight for parliamentary seats reflects a developing political careerism and a realisation that the State is becoming a key player in resource allocation, so if you want to get rich then become an MP and a Minister. Political parties will suffer from the divisions and much will depend on the capacity of the top leadership to maintain unity," he said.

"The fight for seats is more a fight for resources and this is defining our politics . . .even citizens are aware that you don't support politicians for any shared ideal but because of what you get, so they will equally sell their vote to the highest bidder."

Another school of thought reckons that the MPs' past record under the unity government would come under scrutiny before voters backed an individual.

Those fingered in the looting of the Constitutional Development Funds run the risk of being cast into political wilderness and face an hour of reckoning during voting.