Opinion / Columnist
Pros and cons in by-election participation for ZAPU
04 Apr 2015 at 07:25hrs | Views
Notes for debate in Political Parties Dialogue on June 2015 By-elections
Presbyterian Church, 4th Avenue & Jason Moyo Street, Bulawayo
Organized by Bulawayo Agenda, 2nd April 2015
Under normal circumstances, participation in by-elections should be an internal party of a political party dependant on preparedness, capacity or tactical considerations such as endorsing or paving way for another party. In this case choices of parties are mixed with broader questions purportedly tied to completing the democratization agenda. That explains why a large chunk of the political spectrum has been asked to join this curious panel.
The June 2015 by-elections arising from the expulsion of fourteen (14) Members of Parliament by the Speaker (Hon. Jacob Mudenda) at the behest of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) on whose ticket they won the seats, is a new phenomenon in Zimbabwean politics. These MPs of course are now part of the new United Movement for Democratic Change (UMDC) that they collectively joined as members of their also relatively new MDC-Renewal that has joined forces with the MDC (that retained the name of the original party after the 2005 split that gave birth to the MDC-T that branded itself on their leader Morgan Tsvangirai!). The complexity of the MDC family tree and "internal" dog-fights have in this case been superimposed on more fundamental issues to do with uncompleted implementation of Zimbabwe's new (2013) Constitution.
Key deficits in implementation of the new Constitution
- Registrar General's Office and lack of accountability; Voter registration and control – ZEC should take full control of registration from RG; There should be open access and availability of electronic Roll; ZAPU has a case in Court on ZEC for 27 April 2015.
- Devolution of power is an outstanding issue– weak as it is in the Constitution. There needs to be a push for full implementation.
- Human Rights protection – the Itai Dzamara case is a reminder of the fragility of personal freedoms and human rights. There is also impunity in land "allocations", disregarding community interests and role of traditional chiefs (the Maleme case)-whitewash in which Vice President Mphoko "intervened" (injuring with the powerful right and massaging with the weak left).
N.B. the weak Constitution draft negotiated is a prime result of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) aberration (in which ZANU-PF and two MDC parties had their horse-trading).
Flawed arguments of the MDC parties on the reasons for "boycotting" the by-elections
- MDC-Renewal or UMDC deciding that if they "lose" the seats in Court case (fast-tracked to 14 April, 2 days before date for nominations) they will not contest by-elections. They have no problem keeping the seats if they win in Court what they won without constitutional reform!
ZAPU evolving position as of now
- 2013 was a reconnaissance mission for the party, after disappearing from 1987 because of the coerced "Unity Agreement" that was a humiliation for Dr. Joshua Nkomo who accepted the uneven "agreement" to stop the killings of perceived supporters by "Gukurahundi" in Matebeleland and the Midlands provinces.
- We are still rebuilding structures and gearing for 2018 unless something changes the scene.
- Considering standing where we stood in 2013 in the seats due for by-elections if they take place.
- Among other things, we shall look primarily where we have a realistic chance in such a short time left for campaigning.
- We are prepared to fight from within or outside Parliament – we have a long experience of fighting for principle with limited resources.
Source - Dr. Strike Mkandla, ASG, ZAPU
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