Opinion / Columnist
ZEC launch peace liaison committees but admit have 'no legal basis' - gimmick with no soul to be damned
04 Jul 2018 at 02:14hrs | Views
ZEC has launched the Multi-party Liaison Committees with the usual fun fare but readily acknowledge they toothless guard dogs!
"The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has intensified its preparations for the 2018 Harmonised Elections," said the ZEC statement.
"In a bid to resolve conflicts the Commission has set up Multi-party Liaison Committees (MPLC) countrywide. These Committees shall work for the good of all stakeholders, especially political parties in the run-up to elections as intra-party and inter-party conflicts inevitably happen during this period. Of importance to note is the function of the Committees meant to bring peace and harmony in communities.
"These Committees have no legal basis (my emphasis) to usurp the powers of the Commission but enable the Commission to act as a referee in conflict resolution efforts." These committees are being asked to help keep the peace and yet they have no legal powers and authority to investigate, arrest, detain, charge, and bring before a court of law anyone disturbing the peace. Indeed, not even a report from anyone of these MPLCs is even the paper it is written on!
So, why do we need political parties to first sign this Peace Pledge and now have all these MPLCs?
Simple! President Mnangagwa and his junta do not want to give up any of their dictatorial powers and so instead on implementing the far-reaching democratic reforms that would restore the Police's power to keep the peace the regime is settling for Peace Pledge, etc. - a fig-leaf.
For all his post November coup posturing as the peace-maker and promising to hold free, fair and credible elections; President Emerson Mnangagwa has no intention of giving up even one of Zanu PF's multi-faceted carte blanche dictatorial powers including the powers to rig elections.
Of all the politicians, President Mnangagwa knows what a useful and effective option violence has been in Zanu PF's vote rigging schemes. However, this year he has clearly decided to take off his boot off the violence pedal for one very good; he is not 100% confident that the Police and CIO will play their traditional supportive role of turning a blind eye to Zanu PF inspired violence much less join in the harassment and lawless thuggery. It is no secret that most Police and CIO officers supported G40 faction and not Mnangagwa's Lacoste faction.
President Mnangagwa has not implemented any of the democratic reforms to restore independence and powers of these two the Police and CIO, at least. He certainly does not want them nosing around his other vote rigging activities.
No opposition politician worth his salt would even bother sign the Peace Pledge much less have anything to do with these utterly useless MPLCs. If they are ever caught up in any politically motivated violence, then they must report the incident to the Police and insist in getting the report number and as much other related details. The Zimbabwe Republic Police are a legal entity, with the legal obligation to keep the peace, law and order in Zimbabwe and, per se, can be sued for dereliction of duty if they fail to do so. MPLCs are just groups of egotistic busy bodies with no legal body to be kicked or soul to be damned!
The real tragedy here is that Zimbabwe is in a serious economic mess; with unemployment a dizzying 90%, ¾ of the population are now living on US$1.00 or less a day, etc.; are the only way out is for the country to have a competent government. So instead of President Mnangagwa implementing the democratic reforms and hold free, fair and credible elections – the pre-requisite for competent and accountable government – he is wasting time on these MPLC political gimmicks to hide his vote rigging activities.
These elections should not be taking place without first implementing the democratic reform; they are not going to be free, fair and credible and must therefore be declared null and void. Zimbabwe must then revisit the raft of democratic reforms agreed in 2008 and make sure they are implemented this time.
Zimbabwe has been dying for good and competent government to get out of this hell-hole we have been stuck in for the last 38 years. All we must do to get out is to implement the democratic reforms and the rest will fall into place.
"The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has intensified its preparations for the 2018 Harmonised Elections," said the ZEC statement.
"In a bid to resolve conflicts the Commission has set up Multi-party Liaison Committees (MPLC) countrywide. These Committees shall work for the good of all stakeholders, especially political parties in the run-up to elections as intra-party and inter-party conflicts inevitably happen during this period. Of importance to note is the function of the Committees meant to bring peace and harmony in communities.
"These Committees have no legal basis (my emphasis) to usurp the powers of the Commission but enable the Commission to act as a referee in conflict resolution efforts." These committees are being asked to help keep the peace and yet they have no legal powers and authority to investigate, arrest, detain, charge, and bring before a court of law anyone disturbing the peace. Indeed, not even a report from anyone of these MPLCs is even the paper it is written on!
So, why do we need political parties to first sign this Peace Pledge and now have all these MPLCs?
Simple! President Mnangagwa and his junta do not want to give up any of their dictatorial powers and so instead on implementing the far-reaching democratic reforms that would restore the Police's power to keep the peace the regime is settling for Peace Pledge, etc. - a fig-leaf.
Of all the politicians, President Mnangagwa knows what a useful and effective option violence has been in Zanu PF's vote rigging schemes. However, this year he has clearly decided to take off his boot off the violence pedal for one very good; he is not 100% confident that the Police and CIO will play their traditional supportive role of turning a blind eye to Zanu PF inspired violence much less join in the harassment and lawless thuggery. It is no secret that most Police and CIO officers supported G40 faction and not Mnangagwa's Lacoste faction.
President Mnangagwa has not implemented any of the democratic reforms to restore independence and powers of these two the Police and CIO, at least. He certainly does not want them nosing around his other vote rigging activities.
No opposition politician worth his salt would even bother sign the Peace Pledge much less have anything to do with these utterly useless MPLCs. If they are ever caught up in any politically motivated violence, then they must report the incident to the Police and insist in getting the report number and as much other related details. The Zimbabwe Republic Police are a legal entity, with the legal obligation to keep the peace, law and order in Zimbabwe and, per se, can be sued for dereliction of duty if they fail to do so. MPLCs are just groups of egotistic busy bodies with no legal body to be kicked or soul to be damned!
The real tragedy here is that Zimbabwe is in a serious economic mess; with unemployment a dizzying 90%, ¾ of the population are now living on US$1.00 or less a day, etc.; are the only way out is for the country to have a competent government. So instead of President Mnangagwa implementing the democratic reforms and hold free, fair and credible elections – the pre-requisite for competent and accountable government – he is wasting time on these MPLC political gimmicks to hide his vote rigging activities.
These elections should not be taking place without first implementing the democratic reform; they are not going to be free, fair and credible and must therefore be declared null and void. Zimbabwe must then revisit the raft of democratic reforms agreed in 2008 and make sure they are implemented this time.
Zimbabwe has been dying for good and competent government to get out of this hell-hole we have been stuck in for the last 38 years. All we must do to get out is to implement the democratic reforms and the rest will fall into place.
Source - zsdemocrats.blogspot.co.uk
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