Chamisa should seek dialogue over protests

MDC-T leader Nelson Chamisa's hasty claim that he will embark on street protests if the Government fails to implement electoral reforms before this year's harmonised elections is a shallow decision which must not be tolerated but dismissed with due contempt.

Some sections of the media reported that Chamisa outlined the ten electoral reforms that the MDC Alliance is demanding when he launched the coalitions, "Plan and Environment for a Credible Election in Zimbabwe (Peace)" document recently in Harare.

Chamisa is haste in calling for street protests when Government is working flat to conduct free, fair elections which are above reproach. President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently promised to have a consultative meeting with various opposition political party leaders to provide a platform for them to air their views, concerns and suggestions that ensure a free, fair and transparent election.

President Mnangagwa said, "As part of building political consensus in the country ahead of the harmonised elections, I shall soon be inviting leaders of all political parties for a day long consultative meeting." Following President Mnangagwa's pledge, Chamisa should be encouraged to wait for that platform and air the Alliance's concerns that he feels should be addressed before the elections are held. The MDC Alliance leader should engage in dialogue with the responsible authorities for a more effective communication rather than threatening to strike.

In his Peace document, Chamisa claims that he was denouncing the militarisation of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC). However it should be noted that appointment of ex-military individuals at ZEC is legitimate. These people are Zimbabwean citizens who are able to perform any duties assigned to them. Indeed, there is no harm in ex-soldiers being employed at any Government institutions if they have proper qualifications.

Chamisa also claimed that Government should set up a credible and audited biometric voters' roll, which all stakeholders must agree on and also reveal the identity of the company that will print the ballot papers. In as much as Chamisa's claim may be valid, it is imperative to also note that the final decision to select a firm responsible for printing of biometric voter's roll papers lies with the electoral body ZEC, which acts independently.

In addition, the MDC Alliance is calling upon Government to allow international observers to monitor this year's harmonised elections. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland early this year, President Mnangagwa said international election observers were welcome in the country, since Zimbabwe had nothing to hide.

He said, "If you have that criteria why would you want to deny international observers coming into our country? The EU ... I would welcome them."

In January this year President Mnangagwa was interviewed on whether he was going to permit the international observers in this year's elections by the Financial Times. Reiterating on the issue he said, "I would want that the United Nations should come, the EU should come…If the Commonwealth were requesting to come, I am disposed to consider their application."

The country has already witnessed visits from the UN, EU and AU which who are all expressing satisfaction with preparations for the elections later this year.

Chamisa should know by now that protests can never be a solution to any challenges bedeviling a society or any organization. As the past will reveal, protests are associated with excruciating destruction of infrastructure, disturbances of businesses in both formal and informal sector as well as blocking the free flow of traffic in most roads. But then again, Chamisa modus operandi is violence and it's only to be expected that he would want street protests which are synonymous with violence.

Since his inception in office, President Mnangagwa has been preaching the gospel of delivering a transparent election, free from any form of violence. Chamisa and crew should first seek dialogue than this path of violence that they have an affinity for.