News / National
Zimbabwe opposition helps entrench Mugabe's rule
08 Jun 2015 at 08:55hrs | Views
WITH President Robert Mugabe's Zanu PF party looking set to rule until "donkeys grow horns", Zimbabwe's opposition continues to grow at an astonishing rate, but with little, if any, impact on the country's rugged political terrain.
Political analysts and observers largely agree that the current crop of political leaders are an intolerant lot, leading to a "senseless" proliferation of political parties that adds no value to the country's democracy.
In interviews with NewsDay last week, political players and analysts agreed that while citizens should be accorded the greater choices when it comes to elections, the calibre of political parties in the country left a lot to be desired.
University of Zimbabwe lecturer Eldred Masunungure said the proliferation of political parties was no barometer to measure the strength of the country's democracy.
"Democracy is not measured by the multiplicity of political parties in a country or society," he said.
MDC-T secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora defended his boss Tsvangirai and claimed the party was "the only one meaningful political opposition".
Masunungure concurred with Biti saying there was no or little power in the country's opposition.
National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) leader Lovemore Madhuku argued the growing number of political parties was good for the country's democracy.
Political analyst Alexander Rusero said, "The MDC is the mother of opposition politics at the moment, but continues to splinter because of its intolerant nature and that of its leader Tsvangirai. Any differences must lead to a split just as he was asked to form his own party by Mugabe in the late '90s while still leading the labour movement. It is the sad nature of our politics, highly charged with intolerance and scepticism."
Zapu's Dumiso Dabengwa charged that his party has never broken away, but pulled out of an "unworkable situation".
"Zapu is the original party and we have never broken away. We pulled out of the Unity Accord that was not serving the purpose for which it was signed. It was Zanu that broke away from Zapu in 1963 and you must ask them," said Dabengwa.
Political analysts and observers largely agree that the current crop of political leaders are an intolerant lot, leading to a "senseless" proliferation of political parties that adds no value to the country's democracy.
In interviews with NewsDay last week, political players and analysts agreed that while citizens should be accorded the greater choices when it comes to elections, the calibre of political parties in the country left a lot to be desired.
University of Zimbabwe lecturer Eldred Masunungure said the proliferation of political parties was no barometer to measure the strength of the country's democracy.
"Democracy is not measured by the multiplicity of political parties in a country or society," he said.
Masunungure concurred with Biti saying there was no or little power in the country's opposition.
National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) leader Lovemore Madhuku argued the growing number of political parties was good for the country's democracy.
Political analyst Alexander Rusero said, "The MDC is the mother of opposition politics at the moment, but continues to splinter because of its intolerant nature and that of its leader Tsvangirai. Any differences must lead to a split just as he was asked to form his own party by Mugabe in the late '90s while still leading the labour movement. It is the sad nature of our politics, highly charged with intolerance and scepticism."
Zapu's Dumiso Dabengwa charged that his party has never broken away, but pulled out of an "unworkable situation".
"Zapu is the original party and we have never broken away. We pulled out of the Unity Accord that was not serving the purpose for which it was signed. It was Zanu that broke away from Zapu in 1963 and you must ask them," said Dabengwa.
Source - newsday
