Compiled By: Nyahunda Struggle Desire” (gardamel karma)
Several myths and assumptions are being postulated from rank and file, print and electronic media, social platforms and in all the gatherings pertaining the recently held Zanu Pf primary elections and their ultimate casualties. This presentation will give an analysis on the electoral processes and their consequences to both Zanu Pf and the country, as well as digging in the near future in regard to the Post Mugabe era in Zimbabwe.
*PRIMARY ELECTIONS*
These are elections which are conducted ahead of each general election in every political entity to choose party represantives who will then represent their respective parties. These are very critical internal elections and are conducted according to the set guidelines, rules and regulations. For one to qualify to contest in any election, he/ she must go through a thorough vetting done by the organs of a political party. Most political parties require a minimum of 5 years experience in a respective organ of the party to qualify or be regarded as a bona fide party member. This is usually done to guard against infiltration and and voting members who will betray the organisation. Therefore, a committees are set up to deal with such issues at the same time guarding against vendettas aimed at pursuing personal agendas.
*WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO QUALIFY TO CONTEST IN ZANU PF PRIMARIES*
For a councillor, a member was supposed to have served at branch level or be in party structures at cell level for at least 5 years. This means everyone was eligible to contest because cell registers in Zanu Pf are structured from the traditional villages(kraalheards) lists or all members under a certain village head. Many people in Zimbabwe rural villages submit their names to the village heads or attend these cell meetings in order to receive inputs, food aid, and to save face from abuse by political actors. Only a few members known to be opposition activists are delisted from these registers. So for Zanu Pf to regard those members at cell level as their bona fide members was an error of commission. Actual or bona fide members are those members at a certain level of leadership above cell level say a branch or district level.
Secondly, for one to contest as a Member of Parliament, one was supposed to have served at district level for at least 5 years. This means even though a member would have been at district level but without 5 years, that member was supposed to be disqualified. Initially, the circular was calling only those who had served at least 5 years at provincial level but then revised this clause. There might be reasons which led to such changes, for sure internal fighting not be ruled out.
Thirdly, for one to be a Senator, Provincial Councillor, Proportional Representation Mp, one was supposed to have served the party at least at provincial level for 5 years and above. Then the Provincial Executive Committees were seized by the daunting task to go through the vetting process following the above template and lets jump to the next topic.
*WAS THE TEMPLATE FOLLOWED?*
Political expediency was at play at every level of the party and vetting was choreographed to the chore. Selfish and personal interests were at the forefront. Vengeful and vindictive retribution played a bigger role. Some wanted to impose their friends, relatives, girlfriends, boyfriends, puppets despite not meeting the criteria. The Zanu Pf legal department for the first wanted to respect the Zimbabwe Constitution by barring all civil servants from taking part in the political institutions and this was commendable. However, the issue was quashed despite agreeing that Zanu Pf breached the constitution for a long time by allowing teachers and government officials to hold posts of councillors and party positions. This has seen several teachers participating actively in the political institutions. We witnessed a number of civil servants disqualified from contesting but were only cleared at National level by the Commissariat. This then boggles the mind whether the new dispensation was sincere enough in their bid to restore legacy when they reduced the constitution to rags just under their noses. This being done by a man who claims was mediating between the party Zanu Pf and army Engelbert Rugeje during ORL, it soiled the image of what they called legacy because he repeated the same mistake of the previous regime. Members who joined Zanu Pf only in Nov 2017 were cleared to take part, members from different political parties were allowed to contest. Members linked to the deposed G40 and Gamatox cabal were allowed to contest. Criminals with known records were allowed to contest. This showed how desperate and naive was the Commissariat department. Politics led the institutional processes and factionalism reigned in the whole process. From an academic standpoint, Zanu Pf failed to uphold its political processes because it is in a catch 22 situation. They don’t know who is with them and who is not.
*POSSIBLE REASONS WHY TOM AND DICK WAS ALLOWED TO CONTEST*
a). Zanu Pf structures are compromised from cell upwards and the commissariat department was not even able to see the difference between a member and non member probably because all structures are compiled in offices
b). Lacoste diehards are unelectable and are very unpopular with the grassroots hence opening doors for new players in an attempt to bail Zanu Pf
c). Probably someone wanted to set up his or her team aligned to him in what many think tanks agree that succession bomb is looming
d). The team from the army is out of touch with the grassroots and all structures are in control of the Lacoste diehards and war veterans. They therefore wanted to set up their team taking advantage of controlling the political process.
e). The different groups are drawing battle lines against each other setting the stage for a bruising fight in the near future. All controversial figures were created by a person who was in control of the political process probably with a future agenda.
f). After realising how Gamatox and G40 are tormenting the party, someone wanted to bail Zanu Pf from humiliation by seeking help from the enemy to fight an internal war.
g). Impeachment motion likely to be tabled soon after the polls in he event that Zanu Pf win the polls. This is probably because the Mps will be controlled by a certain section in the rank and file and parliament can be easily used to fight the sitting President.
h). Commissariat or a certain faction in Zanu Pf knows majority of those who were cleared and planned to win elections are not in god books with ED and Lacoste diehards. A certain faction which is emerging as the Savior to the disgruntled members and those who were linked to Dr Mujuru and Dr Mugabe will never like or dip in the same plate with ED.
i). Putting a mask facade of benevolence on the general citizens that probably a new dispensation is at hand whilst all the old guard will be determining political and government processes. Zanu Pf will never separate party and government business hence the Politburo and Central Committee is a defacto and dejure parliament and Senate respectively crafting government policies. Those Mps in parliament are only but puppets and as long as the clause to recall an Mp if he or she detours from party line is there, parliament will remain a circus under Zanu Pf.
*CONDUCTION OF PRIMARY ELECTIONS*
The commissariat totally failed to run the elections. Despite demanding hefty amounts of money from aspiring candidates, the ballot papers had no candidates faces, some names were missing whether by omission or commission. Cell registers were shambolic with some candidates failing to vote because their names were disenfranchised. Commissariat had time to put these registers in order since December but they were only busy singing Zimbabwe is open for business mantra following ED to gatherings without anything to do with the party.
They failed to exorcise the ghost of Mugabe which is probably haunting them day and night. They failed to release ED to go around meeting the people maybe assuming because they put tankers around a sitting president, people will just follow them. They failed to copy from MDC ALLIANCE organising committee which moved round the country introducing Chamisa to the people following the departure of Dr MRT and the move proved to have worked well. Although internal sources claimed the commissariat fear to spoil the meal by organising early rallies without good homework because the party is ailing and fractured to the core, this is yet to be proved
Although they managed to organise joint campaign rallies, they failed to stop vote buying instigated by criminals who looted government funds. Despite all videos on all social media testifying massive vote buying, no action was taken. This must worry opposition because even the fraudsters who were on the list of externalising funds were cleared to contest in the general elections.
Voters were disenfranchised and votes went on. Violence was rampant and nothing was done. The abuse of state apparatus who were presiding officers compromised the whole process and puts the name of security departments in disrepute. Opposition must be worried with the man leading commissariat who is not even a government official but went on to give orders to police force to deploy its members without knowledge of the highest office! This must worry Zimbabweans and never trust the hierarchy presiding over our precious country as Mukadota circus.
The numbers which voted in these elections are a testimony that the process was chaotic. Some claim nearly 900 000 voted, as an academic i want to dispute this. What of the ballot papers which were stuffed in Harare, Midlands, Mash West, Bulawayo and Masvingo. The fact that some who were presiding over the elections were biased compromised the whole process. Some candidates were given the ballots prior to voting and they were infringed them after bribery of polling officers. The voting process which took 3 days to end must not only be shameful but laughable. Who was guarding the ballot boxes at night? Were the agents able to spend 3 days without rest watching the ballot boxes? After all the card boxes, buckets and cooler boxes were used as ballot boxes. What a shame? At some polling stations the voters were given ballot papers and would go with them to seven days beer then came back to cast! All this in an election by the ruling party and its leadership claim the process was democratic! This must worry opposition.
Some agents were chased away from polling stations to allow rigging to take place, some were ferrying voters on the election day to polling stations, there was non system to guard against double voting. Goodies were distributed at polling stations by some candidates. Some candidates were assisting the voters. Some candidates declared their constituencies no go areas and village heads were ordered to go with their people to vote and make sure the sitting Mp wins or risk losing food aid if he wins. This happening in an internal poll must worry all international actors and opposition parties.
The delay in instituting electoral reforms must be an indicator that all is not well with this dispensation.
*DEFEAT OF BIGWIGS: MUTSVANGWA etal*
There are various theories surrounding the electoral defeat of Zanu Pf bigwigs in the elections and this writer will dwell solely on few assumptions.
1. The voters wanted to give ED a signal that him and his cabal’s time is up
2. G40 and Gamatox is still a factor in Zanu Pf and teaching a lesson to all close associates of ED is a clear testimony.
3. The Lacoste diehards are unelectable. They were politically defeated by Jonathan Moyo and Dr Mugabe until they unleashed tankers against Mugabe in what most call a coup
4. Old people must take back seat and must no longer dictate pace of future generation because they represent a yesterday generation, ED included
5. Their defeat was choreographed and stage managed to make sure the commissariat silence and neutralise them.
6. These people messed up with the people in previous years and people no longer want them.
6. Opposition voted for weak candidates in these elections to make sure they dumb them in general elections.
7). Revolutionary parties die with their founders as reiterated by Amiclar Cabral and Ali Mazrui
8). God’s plan to set war between war veterans and army elements which is a determining factor in the demise of ZANU PF.
*2018 ELECTIONS*
The way the ZANU PF conducted its primary elections as the ruling party signifies that free and fair election is still a myth. If ZANU PF members were pointing guns against their fellow comrades, what would stop them from perpetrating violence?
It seems the Zanu Pf commissariat though confused was testing murky waters of the sea on how they would implement their rigging plans and strategies.
Chasing of agents of other political players must be guarded and countered by opposition. At one of the polling station in Bikita, the number of people who voted against the votes received did not tally. It must be noted that the police, soldiers and prison workers who were in civilian clothes went through a rigorous training on these internal polls and they will also be participating in general elections.
People are scoffing at Christopher Vivendi Mutsvangwa when he is lambasting the police of having a hand in his defeat. Instead of asking how, people are being carried away. Remember Mutsvangwa is the special advisor to the President and he knows what they planned foe these general elections.
There are other professional police officers though but why is Mutsvangwa lambasting the police? This must tell you a hidden something. Timeously, ED issued a presser condemning abuse of police in these elections showing that he was in agreement with Mutsvangwa. The same day, Zec Chairperson Chigumba lambasted the police again for rigging elections in previous elections by relaying fake figures to command centres. She outlined their roles of which this tells us why results from polling stations were not tallying with those at command centres. *ONE RIGGING TACTIC UNEARTHED BY MUTSVANGWA AND CHIGUMBA*
I think Mutsvangwa need to be given ample time to explain how police rig elections than mocking him.
I leave it here!!!!!
*(NYAHUNDA STRUGGLE DESIRE IS A RESEARCHER IN THE FIELD OF PEACE, CONFLICT & GOVERNANCE ISSUES, POLITICS, & STUDENTS RELATED MATTERS. HE IS ALSO A CLUSTER HEAD OF YOUNG PEOPLES’ DIALOGUE(YPD) THINKTANK, A MEMBER OF (YESO), GENERATIONAL CONSENSUS. FEED BACK ON 0738173303app, 0777357815,0715742966)*
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