By Dr Masimba Mavaza | Are citizens willing to tolerate violations of democratic rules and norms by competent political leaders? The behaviour of some opposition political leaders yield bad news for democracy. To be specific undemocratic behavior by CCC and political candidates decreases voter support, whereas candidate competence increases support. There is a false successes and great failures of undemocratic opposition political leaders around the world: although these leaders can gain support by appearing to be competent, competence does not make citizens tolerate undemocratic behavior entirely.
As we come closer to 2023 elections the opposition CCC has shown its divisions and the situation in the boardroom represents a dog’s breakfast. CHAMISA has entered into a serious fight which is threatening to tear the party apart. All this is caused by the little money offered to the CCC money seeking MPs.
CHAMISA has shown great undemocratic tendencies and stubbornness which has triggered fierce opposition to the fragile leadership of the factious CCC.
The MP’s fund saga has exposed CCC and set the tongues wagging wondering if CCC is a political party or a pressure group.. It is not constituted as a political party it has no constitution no principles and no known rules which guides or control the party. They have lost credibility on the domestic front and foreign front. Nobody is willing to invest in a party which resembles a burial society. A burial society is mostly well organised with the constitutions and rules to be followed.
We should remember that CCC
is an offshoot of MDC which was constituted as a pressure group in its infants. The difference is that a pressure group is a single agenda movement like fighting for some rights. The CCC is neither a party nor a pressure group. It has a devastating draught of organisation. It is indeed a virgin to structures. The opposition democracy is at a dangerous inflection point. The moment requires a step-change in strategy and support. Without such momentum, the CCC faces a democratic setback potentially as serious as the ones already occurring in some parties away from homes
Many people view this moment with concern, but their worry is measured in reality.MDC or CCC system is creaky, but the country’s opposition has no respect for strong strong institutions and will not pull through come 2023. CCC is actually triggering a serious defeat in 2023. Their destructions of their own party caused confusion to citizenries, whose polarization leads them to back policies that harm democracy to ensure their side prevails. CCC is on precisely this path.
CCC has entered in the self destruction mode it is behaving like a pressure group. The difference is CCC does not even have one principle it stands for. it is not a party that is built around coherent ideology or vision. It is a loose coalition of citizens with no agenda. They have no coherent ideology they don’t even have a constitution. They have no basis of survival no principles and nothing they stand for. Assuming that they were politicians out of the spirit of politicians it is not enough to be a politician. Politics is a vehicle of statesmanship. You can be sly pompous but statesman is an aggressively unflinchingly patriotic spirit expected of any politician.
Being a politician is an order to win power and rule.
The problem we have with CCC is that it is neither patriotic nor organised almost resemble a pressure group alas they fall shot they are not politicians in a conventional sense. Politics and power are only used to work on the best interest of one’s country. But if a political outfit shows its love for money over national interest then God have mercy on us.
There is no opposition which sets its own country on fire. Even Malema has never wished evil to befall South Africa. He never invites foreigners to squeeze life out of South Africa. No opposition party thrives on inviting hell for its country. This does not win you any credible friends in your country or alliances out side the country. No one respects an entity which does not respect itself.
Self respect is a principle which escaped CCC. They are not states men. CCC des not have government preparedness where a party can evidence a number of things. The party which wants to rule must evidence patriotism. Without that you have no moral right to govern a country. They have no government preparedness. This has has two categories which are Suitability and capability. They are not fit to govern they are not a suitable government outfit. Nothing qualifies you to govern when you are not patriotic. If you want to set your country on fire it shows you have no interest with your citizens. The government has a duty to defend it’s citizens. What if God forbids they become government. Can they defend us against any foreign invasion.
We are discovering a lot of minerals and very soon the Western world will be seeing extremism and groups may be sent to destabilise Zimbabwe. If this happens will they defend us. The way they have performed against our country they are not going to care when we are attacked.
The CCC lacks Capability. Capability is easy to see. They have no single documents about their party. How can they enforce statutes laws and so forth statutory instruments. The government works on laws. How is CCC going to be a government when they can not govern themselves.
How can Legislate bye-laws and laws. It is an issue of capability. They can’t produce a document even a burial society can produce a one page document. The indicator of incapability is failure to have a constitution.
They do not understand the work of government. They lash out at police at army and all the institutions of government. Other opposition in other countries do not attack the civil service judges and enforcement agencies. They have no marturity for government to understand the awareness of governance.
In any opposition or most useful oppositions we have a government in waiting. We have none of this in CCC. No shadow cabinet in CC C. Without a shadow government and you have no government in waiting them you are not serious. Government awareness is an alternative programme.
There has to be an alternative program. There is no alternative government there is no political program. All they are saying is can you vote for us. But vote for what? The only reason for the vote is that ZANU HAS OVERSTAYED.
Being that as it may does that entitle you to be a ruler. What matters is, Is there an alternative. No matter how long a party has stayed there is no alternative but a confused party with no government a party which wants to rule us but they have no single piece of paper.
If there is no an alternative the ruling party must stay as long they are organised.
It is true that No government is perfect. The major question is is there an alternative. We can not remove a government if there is no alternative. If ZANU PF is not failing dismally we are not supposed to change it with nothing without a viable option. CCC is it a party or a burial society one may wonder.
Lack of democracy in CCC is shocking. As a young person CHAMISA should know that once he fails to win elections he should resign. But his clinging to power is revealing.
It is shocking that there are still political party members who say that they would continue to support candidate even if the candidate did such undemocratic things as running a party on a whim.
But why do voters support undemocratic candidates? And what might motivate these CCC members to elevate democratic principle over partisan gain? The West pouring time and money into getting more people to vote, particularly minorities and swing voters, to win back the country from its owners.