Opinion / Columnist
Mnangagwa's govt should ensure a level political playing field
05 Mar 2022 at 17:07hrs | Views
As the nation counts down towards the much awaited March 26, 2022 by-elections to fill in vacant local authority and House of Assembly seats left either due to recalls by MDC-Alliance leader Douglas Mwonzora or death, a lot of events have unfolded on the political front.
Major political players launched their star rallies signaling the beginning of campaigns in bids to sell ideas to the electorate such that when the latter casts their votes; they would do so from an informed viewpoint.
What raise eyebrows is the conditions under which these various political parties held their campaigns and rallies varying from restriction of movements imposed on the main opposition the CCC to free movement on the part of ruling Zanu-PF supporters. Does this translate into a conclusion of selective application of the law or not? That is the question that needs to be answered by the responsible authority.
Massive road blocks were witnessed on the major roads leading to the capital Harare where opposition leader Nelson Chamisa was scheduled to launch the by-election campaign at Zororo grounds in Highfield suburb. Commitment by government to adhere to the tenets of democracy that is holding free and fair elections becomes questionable especially when other players operate under restrictions while rivals walk scot-free.
In Masvingo the recent crackdown on opposition political activists for partaking in door to door campaigns is also a sign that the playing field is uneven. The Second Republic should live up to its billing to entrench the country towards the road to recovery in as far as democratic processes are concerned. Allowing all political parties the opportunity to air their views even on state-owned media would be one of those ways to ensure equal opportunities to the contesting parties.
State apparatus should be exempted from taking a side as they represent the interests of the general citizenry and thus institutions like the police should not execute duties along partisan lines but professionally. As a result political players need to be given equal status as no one is supposed to be mightier than the other. Political intolerance coupled by use of hate speech especially by the leaders need to be a thing of the past and taking a leading role would help the general populace understand the subject politics.
Major political players launched their star rallies signaling the beginning of campaigns in bids to sell ideas to the electorate such that when the latter casts their votes; they would do so from an informed viewpoint.
What raise eyebrows is the conditions under which these various political parties held their campaigns and rallies varying from restriction of movements imposed on the main opposition the CCC to free movement on the part of ruling Zanu-PF supporters. Does this translate into a conclusion of selective application of the law or not? That is the question that needs to be answered by the responsible authority.
In Masvingo the recent crackdown on opposition political activists for partaking in door to door campaigns is also a sign that the playing field is uneven. The Second Republic should live up to its billing to entrench the country towards the road to recovery in as far as democratic processes are concerned. Allowing all political parties the opportunity to air their views even on state-owned media would be one of those ways to ensure equal opportunities to the contesting parties.
State apparatus should be exempted from taking a side as they represent the interests of the general citizenry and thus institutions like the police should not execute duties along partisan lines but professionally. As a result political players need to be given equal status as no one is supposed to be mightier than the other. Political intolerance coupled by use of hate speech especially by the leaders need to be a thing of the past and taking a leading role would help the general populace understand the subject politics.
Source - TellZim News
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