Fadzai Mahere | Nobody disputes that the youth of Zanu PF have a right to march in support of President Mugabe – no matter how ill-conceived some of us may perceive such a move to be.
However, what is certain is that they have *no* right to preferential treatment by the government and the police based on their affiliation to Zanu PF. In this vein, I note two key issues that arise from their parade on Wednesday.
Firstly, the Zanu PF youth were allowed free movement throughout the central business district of Harare with no intimidation or obstruction from armed riot police. In fact, the only police who were deployed were traffic police to ensure that the Zanu PF youth could move freely notwithstanding their noise and the wanton disruption of traffic and business in general that day. Section 56(1) of the Constitution guarantees *every person*, not just the youth of Zanu PF, a right to equal protection and benefit of the law. And yet, when non-Zanu PF members of the public attended court a week or so ago, heavily armed riot police descended heavily upon the court house and its surrounds to intimidate and keep peace-loving Zimbabweans in line – notwithstanding that all that the public wanted to do was pray and sing in solidarity with a person of their choice. The conduct of the police violated our right to equal protection and benefit of the law and law enforcement agencies, particularly the police. It is unacceptable for the police to decide, using their sheer force and armoury, whom the public can show solidarity to. In the same way that the police facilitated the solidarity march of Zanu PF youth who are choosing to support the President, persons who wish to act or march in solidarity with another person of their choosing ought to be allowed the same freedom without obstruction and unnecessary administrative hurdles. I challenge the police to show that the youth of Zanu PF sought and obtained police clearance for their march in the same way other persons who seek to conduct similar marches are. The constitutional rights to non-discrimination and equality demand it.
Who knows what numbers would turn out for a solidarity march in favour of someone else if there was no threat of violence or police brutality – and if they knew the police would protect and not harm them? Only when the playing field is equal in this manner can Zanu PF claim it has more support. Assuredly, if those youths knew that what awaited them was a beating and not a residential stand, none of them would have come – which brings me to the second issue.
It is saddening to note that the carrot that was dangled to the youth to ensure their attendance at the rally was the promise of a residential stand – which stands happen to be state property. It has to be accepted that the call to participate in the parcelling out of these stands was confined to the youth of Zanu PF. On what basis does a political party dish out state resources to its own without any notice to the general public or other guarantees to ensure transparency? Why is the door of benefit closed to those of a different persuasion? This is a clear case of discrimination against those who hold a different political affiliation. Section 56(3) of the Constitution guarantees the right against discrimination on the grounds of political affiliation. Additionally, section 60 of the Constitution guarantees freedom of conscience which includes the freedom to think differently from Zanu PF, to disagree with its ‘values’ and to propagate thoughts that are different from Zanu PF without being punished or discriminated against for that election. If land is to be distributed in the manner displayed on Wednesday, it has to be done in a transparent, non-partisan manner as the government owes *every* person a duty of conduct that is impartial in terms of section 68 of the Constitution. It’s patently unfair and unjust for land to be distributed on condition that one belongs to Zanu PF. Non-Zanu PF persons are also Zimbabwean, pay their taxes and have a right to benefit from the fruit of this country. It is daylight corruption to marshall the country’s resources in such a manner that only those who tow the party line benefit.
We need to progress as a nation to a point where being Zimbabwean is not synonymous with being Zanu PF.