Zimbabwe mulls regulating political parties

Justice, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi stated on Tuesday that the government is considering the regulation of political parties in response to recalls triggered by the opposition in Parliament. These recalls have proven costly to the economy, depleting government funds.

The Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) recently recalled 15 Members of Parliament and nine Senators, adding to the trend of recalls following elections over the past decade. The Minister argued that this incurs unnecessary expenses for taxpayers, diverting funds towards financing by-elections instead of development.

Minister Ziyambi stated that 12 out of the 15 recalled legislators represent constituencies, necessitating by-elections in those areas. To address these challenges and the potential pitfalls brought by the opposition, he suggested initiating discussions on regulating political parties, which are currently unregulated.

In the current system, political parties only need to notify the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission of their intention to contest elections. Minister Ziyambi proposed requiring proper political party registration, the submission of party constitutions, and evidence of organizational structures to ensure that parties with inadequate structures cannot contest elections.

Political analysts suggested that while these recalls are costly to the economy, they are indicative of the opposition's inability to learn from past mistakes. They emphasized the importance of addressing internal issues within the opposition parties to prevent these recurrent problems.

Constitutional lawyer Professor Lovemore Madhuku proposed the removal of the constitutional provision allowing political parties to recall members as a potential solution to the issue.

Overall, the government is exploring options to reduce the economic strain caused by recurring recalls, which can hinder the country's development.