Ndaba Nhuku | Independent candidates are free and not accountable to anyone even their voters. Independent candidates belong to no organisation, have no structures. They are on their own. If they do what you don’t want, they are not accountable to you hence not representing my interest.

He who funds them controls them. Anyone and any party can use Independents by funding them to support its stance in parliament. During elections, any party whiose candidate is not popular in any constituency can turn to the Independent, fund them to stop the rebels from taking the seat, or simply to have the Independent vote with them on major bills in parliament. Donors can fund Independents as a way of influencing elections. So Independent are not completely independent as we think.
Independent MPs in Zim can never succeed in their constituencies.

Ask Margaret  Dongo and Jonathan Moyo. They were very popular prominent Independents. Their failure is decided by the ruling party. For every project they need to do they must consult government, that is the people controlled by ruling party. And obviously the govt minister or whoever is responsible will not ok anything that will make the Independent MP more popular. Moyo never did much for Tsholotsho during his days as an independent in comparison to when he was in Zanu.

Look at how Temba Mliswa is trying hard to look Independent whilst daily behaving as if he is Mnangagwa’s political son.
On the other hand in a truly democratic country Independents can do wonders and hold govt accountable, flexible in their opinions, vote for the benefit of their constituents. Independents can offer a free vote and be influential in determining govt policy because they are not entangled in party dynamics.
However, in our scenario, where they will always be a minority, they are powerless and less influential. They are what she mercy of monolithic parties and ruthless chamber leaders. In our case, they are noise makers who add verbal value but no practical solutions. On the other hand, were we have no outright winner of an election and a GNU is in place, we can see Independents if they are a reasonable numbers act as the voice of sanity. All parties will be after their support in parliament or even in forming a govt. On their own, they are a noise lot without any known practical results in the jungle of Zimababwean politics.