“The Future and Relevance of Opposition Politics in Zimbabwe after the
2013 Elections”.
A
presentation to the Mass Public Opinion Institute’s (MPOI) Public Seminar,
Thursday 26 September 2013, New Ambassador Hotel, Harare, Zimbabwe.
By Takura
Zhangazha*
Mr. Chairman,
Let me begin by expressing my
gratitude, as always to MPOI for inviting me to participate in this important
debate concerning the future of opposition politics in Zimbabwe. As the title
of the matter to be debated openly implies, it is a future that is being
considered particularly in the aftermath of the July 31 2013 harmonised
election. The reasons why the question is relevant relates to two things.
Firstly that the political
opposition in Zimbabwe, which historically was at its strongest since 1999 and particularly
in 2008, seems to be on the back foot.
Assumptions of an inevitable victory or alternatively, movement from
opposition to ruling party status appear to have been quashed by the disputed
but politically accepted result of our most
recent national election. Secondly, the
issue of the status of the opposition and its future is emerging not only in
relation to the existence of the mainstream opposition , the Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC-T), but as a generalized query as to whether there can be a viable,
vibrant and potentially election winning opposite end of Zanu Pf in Zimbabwe.
Both considerations will evoke
political emotion in many an opposition party supporter. Some who may not want
to have all their sacrifices appear to have come to naught will defend to the
hilt the current mainstream political opposition parties. It is an
understandable reaction to any attempts to seek to analyse the reasons for the
current state of affairs in the opposing political parties. Others who are
sympathetic to the ruling party will argue that where the opposition finds
itself now is a political tragedy of its own making.
They will over analyze the
weaknesses of the mainstream opposition and claim that it was not grounded in
the people. Or alternatively that it did not campaign adequately for the hearts
and minds of the masses. This is also an understandable assertion given the
right of every Zimbabwean to an opinion even if it is a biased one.
A departure point however would be
to assess the opposition politics with an understanding that it will always
exist in Zimbabwe and that it will not always be victorious. In fact the key
issue is that there must always be an opposition to whatever government in
power, not only in order for the replacement of the latter but also for
critical and popular oversight. So I must make this particular point with
emphasis. The opposition does not exist solely for the purposes of power
acquisition, except only in cases where it claims to be leading a revolution, particularly
in the short term.
The opposition in Zimbabwe has
never laid claim to leading a revolution. It has talked of democracy, the
struggle, but not revolution. And therefore, it has fundamentally been a
collection of those that oppose not in order to transform Zimbabwean society,
but to replace those in power. This has been a key characteristic of the
mainstream opposition since independence and it is not a bad thing in and of
itself.
The only problem that this tendency has faced is that of the long
incumbency of the ruling party and its claim to be a revolutionary which in its
own reasoning makes it somewhat unassailable.
This has regrettably led to the
contemporary opposition in Zimbabwe taking the well trodden path of them versus
us and no other particularly issue to oppose each other about.
It is an analysis that some will
refute to the extent of bringing out manifestos to try and offer or prove themselves as an alternative. The truth of the
matter is that the lived political realities on the ground indicate that the
practices and strategies of the parties are all too similar. That is why for
example, the patronage component appeared to have triumphed in the last
elections with allegations of vote buying being placed before the Electoral Court.
In order to elaborate further, I will use the famous
phrase from George Orwell’s Animal Farm novel. In relation to lived political experiences of
the masses of Zimbabwe over and about political opposition and ruling parties,
the most apt line would be “The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man
to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which
was which.”
This brief analysis does not
however to imply that the opposition has no future in Zimbabwe. In fact it lays
the ground for it. The mainstream opposition that has emerged from the
electoral process must take up the role of formal opposition with whatever
seats it acquired for itself in the last plebiscite. Even if it claims it does
not recognize the electoral triumph of the once again ruling party, it must
swallow its pride and fulfill the mandate it sought from the people of Zimbabwe
within the context of a new constitution it helped construct, albeit in an
elitist and undemocratic fashion.
Furthermore, where it claims it is
leading a ‘struggle’ it must demonstrate the necessary contrition at why the
objectives of its struggle are far from met, even after its participation in an
inclusive government. And finally it must bring its party elected leaders to
account on the basis of their performance.
If it is serious about its own future, it must reserve the right of
political recall of the same said leaders.
But because the question posed here
today is not solely about the mainstream and now formal opposition, it is
important to explain the overall future tasks for the success of any opposition
to the ruling establishment in Zimbabwe.
For the opposition to remain relevant and eventually ascend to political
power, it must exist as an organic alternative to the ruling party. Even if the
consequences can be dire. This would entail that the opposition understands and
explains its founding objectives and values not only to its membership but to
all of the citizens of Zimbabwe, no matter their station in life. It must also
avoid mimicking the ruling party’s tendencies in relation to political practice
at grassroots and articulate those issues that affect both the idealistic as
well as mechanical life expectations of the people of Zimbabwe. It must not
find itself caught up in the elitist trappings of power and their attendant
materialism and ‘kiya kiya’ politics.
Mr. Chairman, if the question were
not a qualitative one on the future of opposition politics in Zimbabwe, I would
say with certainty that opposition politics has a future in Zimbabwe. It is
only a question of whether it will be an organic and people driven opposition
or one that functions again in binary terms, of them versus us. In my view, the
future looks bright for any opposition that listens to and continues to heed
the call of the people for a social democratic Zimbabwe. And one that also
remembers the famous quote from Guinea
Bissau and Cape Verdean African revolutionary, Amilcar Cabral, ‘Tell no lies,
claim no easy victories.
Thank You.
*Takura Zhangazha writes here in
his personal capacity. If you would like to use this article elsewhere, please
attribute it to takura-zhangazha.blogspot.com
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