Current ruling system will not priorities devolution- commentator

A political commentator Ngqabutho Mabhena has said it is clear that the current ruling system will never priorities devolution of power as as the country has gone for almost three years after the government got into power when the new constitution with  clauses on devolution  was put in place.

"Having gone for 3 years with the new democratic constitution whose Chapter 14 clearly states that power should be devolved to lower tiers of government at provincial and districts levels, failure by the government to enact an enabling act of parliament or just to put a devolution roadmap or action plan is sign of lack of political will and can only be solved by a counter political response," Mabhena said.

He said the only solution that the people have is a political solution because surely it has proved that this system will not prioritise devolution in the near future.

"Failure by the other national political parties in parliament to stand up and demand devolution is clear testimony that pinning hopes of devolution implementation in national political parties is tantamount to expecting a ghost to impregnate a 75 years old grandmother or putting a castrated bull in the kraal and expect your cows to breed," he said.

  "It is high time serious devolution proponents who are in political leadership called for the devolution of the political parties they belong to. Truly every party that will win the 2018 elections, as long as it is not devolved, it will not devolve power anyway. That party should start showing its devolution sincerity now!"

Mabhena said if the current political parties are not willing to devolve, the people, especially of Matabeleland, need to start disabusing themselves of trusting in national politics and national political parties and form their own regional political party. He said this political party will contest in Matabeleland and represent issues of Matabeleland.

"Do not be fooled regional parties are an international phenomena and they are very successful, effective and popular the world over. What gives regional parties their strength is the issues they represent and the constituency they control and represent," he said.

"If there could be a strong regional party in Matabeleland, that party leverages its power through coalitions and consortium and its constituency is its bargaining power even in parliament. That party is able to push for the realization of devolution of power."

Mabhena said what makes most people be afraid of regional political parties is the fear to invest in time and the idea that we are few to have a presidential candidate that can win.

"Regional parties have many people in their regions and are not concerned by presidency, but by regional issues. In Zimbabwe it needs to be surely concluded that the issue of the presidency is not a Matabeleland Agenda and to be continuously hoodwinked and dragged into it just derails the development and progress of the region," he said.

"We know some parties may want to transform to regional parties but are being held by their national outlook. The options are either to devolve or to get the members in Mashonaland to form their own regional parties there and the issue of regional parties become a national idea. If those members refuse, it will be clear testimony they are opposed to the devolution ideology."