Opinion / Columnist
Egoistic MDC-T killing the coalition
07 Jul 2017 at 09:41hrs | Views
NERA, CODE and now Zinera are clear signs of hunger for unity or vacuum that exist within the opposition fraternity. The plethora of opposition parties whose chances of winning presidential elections are between slim and zero have devised a method of holding hands and fighting the system. Good thing but…
WHY SO MANY POLITICAL PARTIES
Million dollar question though is: Why so many political parties in the first place? Is it for financial gain or just ego?
According to our Zimbabwean constitution S.67 (2) (a) it is a right of every Zimbabwean to belong to political party, form a political party as much as it is one's your right to be rich, but it's not everyone who will get rich in their life time. We are made differently. Same with these political parties, they are formed for different purposes.
With over 50 political parties, all wanting a stake in governance, one questions what value these numerous parties bring to the table. It's a known and proven secret that MDCT has the capacity to single handedly remove ZanuPF. No other opposition party can claim that stake. The only other closest party was PF-ZAPU in the 80s.
It is actually to the best interest of ZanuPF to have numerous opposition parties all fighting for the same cookie. Some of the opposition parities we have are not real opposition parties but are just briefcase shadow stooges of the ruling party. They are a life boat of ZanuPF just in case things don't come out well.
So how do we know real opposition from fake stooges? How do we to pick them from the pack? We can't! We can only assume then navigate carefully.
THE COALITION:
James Hanley defines Coalition as a temporary alliance but voluntary combination for a common action, especially of political parties forming a government. No one must be forced to be part of a coalition, no one must not be forced to be part of a coalition with a compromised partner.
Section 129(1) of the Zimbabwean constitution prohibits crossing of the floor for elected MPs as much as there is no room for a pre-election Coalition of parties to contest an election effectively unless and until they disband and form a new political party.
A pre-election coalition means that if Party A and Party B decide to form a "coalition" before elections, it would require either one or both parties to lose their identity and form a new Party C which shall be submitted to ZEC for registration. On the other hand, post-election coalition means parties negotiate on the strength of the number of seats in parliament after elections thereby forming a combined Cabinet and also voting by block in parliament without the coalescing parties actually losing their party identities.
WHO STANDS TO LOSE OR GAIN MORE WITH IDENTITY LOSS?
If MDCT were to dissolve and combine with NPP or TZ or APA, question is who would gain and who would lose from that arrangement? The latter three parties have nothing to lose in terms of membership base while MDCT has made its name and it stands to lose supporters enmass. The biggest winner in this case would ultimately be ZanuPF.
If all these political parties agree that they can't win an election without MDCT then it's an open secret that MDCT must call the shots in any "coalition". It is the big brother.
SO WHAT DO WE DO?
Simple, if these smaller parties feel the presidential race is too far from their door step, let them give their support to the MDCT presidential candidate. If MDCT wins the presidency, they stand to benefit indirectly as well. That forms the basis of presidential candidate alliance.
When it comes to parliamentary, council and senate seats, MDCT has no obligation what so ever to seed any of its seats to the smaller parties, this is politics, but out of humility and recognition of the presidential alliance, MDCT can shed seats especially where it has no sitting MP.
Most of these smaller political parties making noise have never entered in any election hence their purported strength is just hot air, same hot air that came with MKD in 2008. Political muscle is not based on how many seats one wishes to get but it's based on how many seats one actually has!
When one forms a political party they must be prepared to stand the heat. No political party must be pampered and cushioned like a baby. It either you stand on your own or leave the kitchen; there is no need to accuse, insult or cajole MDCT to sign a coalition deal which would not benefit them at the end of the day.
MUST ALL THE 50 REGISTERED PARTIES BE PART OF THE SAME COALITION?
Just like in soccer, out of a squad of 18 players, only 11 strategic players are allowed to play in the field. This rule must apply in politics as well. If it means MDCT forms a coalition with just four parties which will add value not burden to the coalition then let it be. Other parties will still benefit just like the Muzorewa's United African National Council was left out of Patriotic front but it still enjoyed independence.
Not everyone can be in the field as a player. We only field the best 11 in the field. Supporters give moral support from the terraces, sponsors give financial support while the officials act as the big brother making sure we adhere to the rules. If all the 30 000 supporters decide to be in the field, we are likely not even be able to score for duration of the 90 minutes.
KENYAN RAINBOW COALITION
Denis Kadima in his book "The Politics of Party Coalitions in Africa" states that out of the 140 registered political parties in Kenya, National Alliance Party of Kenya (Formerly NAK now NAPK) allied itself with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to form the National Alliance of Rainbow Coalition (NARC) which won by landslide victory over KANU. Not all parties must form a coalition.
Although Kenyans made history on 27 December 2002 when two opposition movements consisting of a total of 15 political parties that had joined forces under the NARC, problems of multiple party ideologies broke this alliance soon after the elections. Hence the less number of players, the stronger the structure.
The fewer the players in a coalition, the lesser the problems, the bigger the coalition victory. Other parties will also enjoy the fruits for the coalition victory just like not all politicians can be MPs, but we can all contribute to parliament by electing MPs and even advising or complaining to them about our needs as the society.
EGO IN COALITION
If egoism and unfounded fantasies are precluding NPP, MDCT and other parties from working together then let it be, let these parties stop wasting our time or even insinuating they may be able to work together because the fact is they can't! Let MDC select its strategic partners and let NPP do the same. There is not limit in the number of alliances or coalitions that can be formed. There is still room to dance.
If other parties feel MDCT is too egoistic and hence killing the coalition, then exclude MDCT from your coalition and fancy your chances of winning the election, but first consult ZAPU and MKD, they have better experience. Coalition is voluntary. At times people confuse facts with egoism.
THE REALITY
If egoism is stating that MDCT has over 49 elected MPs and runs all urban councils, then I agree MDCT is egoistic. If it the fact that Morgan Tsvangirai is the only presidential candidate who got over 47% (read 75%) is egoistic and it's scaring other opposition parties, then let's conclude that MDCT egoistic tendencies are killing the coalition.
Feedback: mangomiso@gmail.com
WHY SO MANY POLITICAL PARTIES
Million dollar question though is: Why so many political parties in the first place? Is it for financial gain or just ego?
According to our Zimbabwean constitution S.67 (2) (a) it is a right of every Zimbabwean to belong to political party, form a political party as much as it is one's your right to be rich, but it's not everyone who will get rich in their life time. We are made differently. Same with these political parties, they are formed for different purposes.
With over 50 political parties, all wanting a stake in governance, one questions what value these numerous parties bring to the table. It's a known and proven secret that MDCT has the capacity to single handedly remove ZanuPF. No other opposition party can claim that stake. The only other closest party was PF-ZAPU in the 80s.
It is actually to the best interest of ZanuPF to have numerous opposition parties all fighting for the same cookie. Some of the opposition parities we have are not real opposition parties but are just briefcase shadow stooges of the ruling party. They are a life boat of ZanuPF just in case things don't come out well.
So how do we know real opposition from fake stooges? How do we to pick them from the pack? We can't! We can only assume then navigate carefully.
THE COALITION:
James Hanley defines Coalition as a temporary alliance but voluntary combination for a common action, especially of political parties forming a government. No one must be forced to be part of a coalition, no one must not be forced to be part of a coalition with a compromised partner.
Section 129(1) of the Zimbabwean constitution prohibits crossing of the floor for elected MPs as much as there is no room for a pre-election Coalition of parties to contest an election effectively unless and until they disband and form a new political party.
A pre-election coalition means that if Party A and Party B decide to form a "coalition" before elections, it would require either one or both parties to lose their identity and form a new Party C which shall be submitted to ZEC for registration. On the other hand, post-election coalition means parties negotiate on the strength of the number of seats in parliament after elections thereby forming a combined Cabinet and also voting by block in parliament without the coalescing parties actually losing their party identities.
WHO STANDS TO LOSE OR GAIN MORE WITH IDENTITY LOSS?
If MDCT were to dissolve and combine with NPP or TZ or APA, question is who would gain and who would lose from that arrangement? The latter three parties have nothing to lose in terms of membership base while MDCT has made its name and it stands to lose supporters enmass. The biggest winner in this case would ultimately be ZanuPF.
If all these political parties agree that they can't win an election without MDCT then it's an open secret that MDCT must call the shots in any "coalition". It is the big brother.
SO WHAT DO WE DO?
Simple, if these smaller parties feel the presidential race is too far from their door step, let them give their support to the MDCT presidential candidate. If MDCT wins the presidency, they stand to benefit indirectly as well. That forms the basis of presidential candidate alliance.
When it comes to parliamentary, council and senate seats, MDCT has no obligation what so ever to seed any of its seats to the smaller parties, this is politics, but out of humility and recognition of the presidential alliance, MDCT can shed seats especially where it has no sitting MP.
Most of these smaller political parties making noise have never entered in any election hence their purported strength is just hot air, same hot air that came with MKD in 2008. Political muscle is not based on how many seats one wishes to get but it's based on how many seats one actually has!
When one forms a political party they must be prepared to stand the heat. No political party must be pampered and cushioned like a baby. It either you stand on your own or leave the kitchen; there is no need to accuse, insult or cajole MDCT to sign a coalition deal which would not benefit them at the end of the day.
MUST ALL THE 50 REGISTERED PARTIES BE PART OF THE SAME COALITION?
Just like in soccer, out of a squad of 18 players, only 11 strategic players are allowed to play in the field. This rule must apply in politics as well. If it means MDCT forms a coalition with just four parties which will add value not burden to the coalition then let it be. Other parties will still benefit just like the Muzorewa's United African National Council was left out of Patriotic front but it still enjoyed independence.
Not everyone can be in the field as a player. We only field the best 11 in the field. Supporters give moral support from the terraces, sponsors give financial support while the officials act as the big brother making sure we adhere to the rules. If all the 30 000 supporters decide to be in the field, we are likely not even be able to score for duration of the 90 minutes.
KENYAN RAINBOW COALITION
Denis Kadima in his book "The Politics of Party Coalitions in Africa" states that out of the 140 registered political parties in Kenya, National Alliance Party of Kenya (Formerly NAK now NAPK) allied itself with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to form the National Alliance of Rainbow Coalition (NARC) which won by landslide victory over KANU. Not all parties must form a coalition.
Although Kenyans made history on 27 December 2002 when two opposition movements consisting of a total of 15 political parties that had joined forces under the NARC, problems of multiple party ideologies broke this alliance soon after the elections. Hence the less number of players, the stronger the structure.
The fewer the players in a coalition, the lesser the problems, the bigger the coalition victory. Other parties will also enjoy the fruits for the coalition victory just like not all politicians can be MPs, but we can all contribute to parliament by electing MPs and even advising or complaining to them about our needs as the society.
EGO IN COALITION
If egoism and unfounded fantasies are precluding NPP, MDCT and other parties from working together then let it be, let these parties stop wasting our time or even insinuating they may be able to work together because the fact is they can't! Let MDC select its strategic partners and let NPP do the same. There is not limit in the number of alliances or coalitions that can be formed. There is still room to dance.
If other parties feel MDCT is too egoistic and hence killing the coalition, then exclude MDCT from your coalition and fancy your chances of winning the election, but first consult ZAPU and MKD, they have better experience. Coalition is voluntary. At times people confuse facts with egoism.
THE REALITY
If egoism is stating that MDCT has over 49 elected MPs and runs all urban councils, then I agree MDCT is egoistic. If it the fact that Morgan Tsvangirai is the only presidential candidate who got over 47% (read 75%) is egoistic and it's scaring other opposition parties, then let's conclude that MDCT egoistic tendencies are killing the coalition.
Feedback: mangomiso@gmail.com
Source - Mj Mbele
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