Opinion / Columnist
NPF in paralysis, fails to hold elective convention
18 May 2018 at 11:53hrs | Views
The National Patriotic Front fronted by Ambrose Mutinhiri is facing a stillbirth as it has failed to hold its elective convention as originally planned due to explosive in-fighting over control of the party. Readers may remember that NPF spokesperson, Jealous Mawarire addressed a SAPES Trust dialogue in Harare on 21 March 2018 and promised that his party would hold its elective convention in a few weeks' time. Months have gone by since the promise by Mawarire and all that readers hear from the beleaguered party are squabbles over control of the party.
It is apparent that the NPF has suffered a still birth. How the media-shy Mutinhiri has managed to keep holding on the party's leadership despite the fierce contest by the likes of Saviour Kasukuwere and other political hawks remains to be explained. Mutinhiri has no legitimacy to lead the party as he was not elected by anyone besides the anointing by his godfather, Robert Mugabe.
Mawarire further played to the gallery at the SAPES meeting when he declared that the NPF would urgently file a Constitutional Court challenge against the legitimacy of President Mnangagwa. Imagine the illegitimate NPF leadership challenging the presidency of Cde Mnangagwa who ascended to the leadership of ZANU PF through that party's Constitution, and the resultant implementation of the country's Constitutional provision on presidential succession.
To those not in the know, the country's Constitution empowers the ruling party to nominate a candidate to complete the term of an incumbent president who fails to complete his term due to incapacitation, death or resignation. That's exactly how President Mnangagwa is completing former President Mugabe's term.
It has become an open secret that besides the anti-President Mnangagwa/ZANU PF rhetoric, the NPF has nothing of substance to offer to the masses of Zimbabwe. The party is hoping to play spoiler of the certain ZANU PF victory, without offering any meaningful alternative. All we hear from critics like Prof Jonathan Moyo and Mawarire are insults against the country's leadership. There are no meaningful policy alternatives from these discredited yesteryear politicians.
In the meantime, ZANU PF has completed the process of choosing its electoral candidates. No such processes are on-going at the NPF and the myriad of other upstart political parties.
It is apparent that the NPF has suffered a still birth. How the media-shy Mutinhiri has managed to keep holding on the party's leadership despite the fierce contest by the likes of Saviour Kasukuwere and other political hawks remains to be explained. Mutinhiri has no legitimacy to lead the party as he was not elected by anyone besides the anointing by his godfather, Robert Mugabe.
Mawarire further played to the gallery at the SAPES meeting when he declared that the NPF would urgently file a Constitutional Court challenge against the legitimacy of President Mnangagwa. Imagine the illegitimate NPF leadership challenging the presidency of Cde Mnangagwa who ascended to the leadership of ZANU PF through that party's Constitution, and the resultant implementation of the country's Constitutional provision on presidential succession.
To those not in the know, the country's Constitution empowers the ruling party to nominate a candidate to complete the term of an incumbent president who fails to complete his term due to incapacitation, death or resignation. That's exactly how President Mnangagwa is completing former President Mugabe's term.
It has become an open secret that besides the anti-President Mnangagwa/ZANU PF rhetoric, the NPF has nothing of substance to offer to the masses of Zimbabwe. The party is hoping to play spoiler of the certain ZANU PF victory, without offering any meaningful alternative. All we hear from critics like Prof Jonathan Moyo and Mawarire are insults against the country's leadership. There are no meaningful policy alternatives from these discredited yesteryear politicians.
In the meantime, ZANU PF has completed the process of choosing its electoral candidates. No such processes are on-going at the NPF and the myriad of other upstart political parties.
Source - Bevan Musoko
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