Devoluton -Moving Foward

Moving Forward With Devolution By Dumisani O .Nkomo I would like to argue that whilst marginal and indeed incremental changes have been gained in as far as devolution of power is concerned ,devolved governance and service delivery will not work unless other pillars ,structures ,processes and laws are put in place . Importantly With the wrong human capital in place in the form of councillors, ,members of parliament ,senators ,provincial executives and critically provincial bureaucrats , devolution will become a mere mirage . The new constitution chiefly [chapter 14 ]merely outlines the framework of devolution of power but is does not give full expression to the concept .Nonetheless chapter fourteen expounds on the various stratas of governance from provincial to local government level that should give expression to the principle or concept of devolution of power .What is critical to note is that a lot of issues pertaining to devolution of power are left to acts of parliament in order to have practical expression and legislative application .This includes the establishment ,structure and staff of provincial and metropolitan councils ,the election of metropolitan council mayors and procedures of local authorities .In order for devolution to work properly therefore it is imperative to put in place enabling acts whilst at the same time re aligning current laws to the new architecture. Devolution of power and decentralization of services will not work as long as the current hazy framework remains and subsidiary laws do not give full expression ,meaning and practise to it .If laws governing water ,energy ,natural resources ,mining ,industry ,local government ,investment still maintain a highly centralized nature it is likely that devolution of power may be decorative and cosmetic It must be noted that though the draft gives a fairly good framework at a conceptual level ,this needs to be translated into praxis in relevant laws governing local government ,service delivery and resource allocation .Principles contained in the founding principles can be a starting point as the founding provisions recognize devolution and decentralization of government power and functions ,the three tiers of government [national ,provincial and local government ].Importantly the national objective of compelling the “state and institutions and agencies to take practical measures to ensure that all local authorities have equitable access to resources “ must be given practical effect in the enabling act and the rural and urban councils acts should be aligned accordingly to reflect this new socio political reality . Enabling Finance Act Devolution of power would be meaningless without dealing with issues of allocation of financial and natural resources .To this end Chapter 17 of the new constitution envisages “the equitable sharing of national revenue between “central , local and provincial and l tiers of government .The allocation of revenue between provincial and local government is left to an act of parliament . It is thus incumbent upon the incoming minister of finance and parliament to put in place such legislation in order to give full and practical expression to devolution financial functions . Devolution and a Competent Bureaucracy I must hasten to add that even with the most impressive pieces of legislation or policies, devolution may not work if the bureaucrats at national ,provincial and local level are not willing and able to the implement it .One of the greatest failures of post independent Zimbabwe is not our failure to craft effective policies and laws but rather the failure to implement policies .One only has to look at the impressive arsenal of economic blue prints since independents to get an idea what I am talking about .We had Growth With Equity [1980’s] ,Economic structural Adjustment Programme ,ZIMPREST ,the Millennium Economic Development Plan ,the National Economic Development Plan ,the Short Term Emergency Recovery Programme ,the Medium Term Plan amongst others but alas most of these have been “pie in the sky and not sadza on the plate “ We have been good on description and eloquent on detail but thin on implementation .Zimbabwe needs competent, able and willing people leading the civil service at relevant levels otherwise devolution just will not work Lastly in order for devolution to work Zimbabweans need to elect legislators with the capacity to debate ,enact and monitor the relevant legislation .The elected legislators and appointed ministers who are sympathetic to the cause of devolution of power must ensure that the legislative agenda of the next parliament reflects the imperative of laws aligned to a devolved dispensation . To conclude all I am saying is that the current framework of devolution in the new constitution is insufficient to deliver the desired order outside of certain fundamentals and imperatives . Nkomo is the Chief Executive Officer of Habakkuk Trust and an activist He can be contacted on dumisani.nkomo@gmail.com

provincial and local governments critical

Local and Provincial Governments Key To Good Governance and Development By Dumisani O. Nkomo The new constitution provides a reasonable framework for the country to put in place functional and effective provincial ,metropolitan and local government structures .There is a need for the country to move swiftly to ensure that the three tiers of government created by the new constitution work effectively and efficiently bringing the desired output o good governance ,development ,equitable distribution of resources and citizen participation in decision making processes Tiers Of Government The new constitution for the first time in the history of Zimbabwe acknowledges three tiers of government namely national government ,provincial and metropolitan government and local government with the later consisting o urban and rural councils .It is however necessary to unpack the roles ,responsibilities and parameters of these different tiers of government to avoid duplication ,confusion ,bureaucracy and in ultimately policy inertia .The devolution of power contained therein may be stillborn if those mandated to implement it do not understand how it should work or if there is conflict of laws and policies or the absence of enabling legislation . Good Governance It is my belief that if these three tires of government especially provincial and local government function effectively this will lead to good governance and ultimately socio economic development of various regions ,provinces and districts especially areas which have been subject to historic marginalization such as the Midlands ,Matabeleland ,Masvingo and parts of Manicaland . The new constitution attempts to capture good governance as reflected by a state “that adopts and implements policies and legislation to develop efficiency ,competence ,accountability ,transparency ,personal integrity and financial probity in Government at every level and in every public institution [Chapter 2.2 Zimbabwe Constitution]. .Good governance should not be an abstract academic concept but that which delivers bread and butter to the people through the provision of basic services e. g education ,health ,water ,electricity as well as access to resources .Some of these are entrenched in Chapter Four of the new constitution as socio economic rights . Local Community Development and Empowerment Meaningful local development and empowerment of local communities can only take place if the socio political architecture at provincial and local level gives expression to these ideals and aspirations through the existence of enabling participatory ,decision making structures ,policies and laws .This is captured brilliantly in chapter 2.8 of the new constitution which compels all state institutions at every level to ensure : 1.Local communities benefit from local resources in their areas . 2.Promote self reliance and private initiate 3.Bring about balances development of different areas of Zimbabwe . 4.Rectify imbalances resulting from past policies and practices . A central government and state architecture that ensures that the above mentioned constitutional principles are adhered to will provide a sound framework for provincial/metropolitan councils and local councils to function . Structure and Composition of Provincial and Metropolitan Councils It is an emerging reality that most Zimbabweans even those who should be in the know have no idea about the composition ,structure and powers of the new provincial councils or metropolitan councils as is the case with Bulawayo and Harare .Chapter 14 of the new constitution speaks to this providing for devolution of governmental powers and responsibilities to appropriate levels .Whilst some might not like the word devolution it is not really the semantics that matter but the level to which there is statutory provision of placement of power from one level of government to another .Ultimately it is about what this system of government achieves in terms of socio economic development not the composition or semantics .Broadly the constitution defines the objects of devolution of government powers to provincial and metropolitan councils and local authorities as : 1.Giving powers of local governance to the people and enhance their participation in the exercise of the powers o the state and in making decisions that affect them . 2.To promote democratic ,effective ,transparent ,accountable and coherent government . 3.To recognize the right of local communities to manage their own affairs and to further their development . 3.To ensure the equitable sharing of local and national resources 4.To transfer responsibilities and resources from the national government in order to establish a sound financial base for e ach provincial and metropolitan and local authority . Surely which Zimbabwean in her or his right frame of mind would be opposed to any of these objectives ?.No political party worth its salt can deny Zimbabweans at the local level the right to participate in decision making and development processes which enable them to be masters of their o their own destinies .Those who claim to champion empowerment but do not believe in empowering local communities are in ideological internal conflict and confusion . However whilst the objectives of devolving power to provincial ,metropolitan councils and local authorities is to all intents and purposes very sound it is the de tail which may be confusing ,contradictory or unclear . For the avoidance of doubt there are eight provincial councils and two metropolitan councils the metropolitan councils being that of Bulawayo and Harare Functions The functions of the provincial and metropolitan councils primarily are that of socio economic development of respective provinces ,co ordination of government programmes ,natural resource management ,promotion of tourism ,evaluation o use of resources and other functions in a yet to be framed Act of parliament .The structure and staff of this level of government are also left to an Act o parliament which Act of parliament is not yet in place . What may be confusing however is the fact that the metropolitan councils may encroach into the work of the Bulawayo or Harare local or municipal authority as they would primarily manage the same geographical space tough possibly the metropolis will be bigger .The metropolitan councils consist of all the elected councilors ,house assembly representatives ,Senators and is chaired by the mayor who is elected at the first sitting of the council .The constitution implies that the mayor cannot be executive unless he /she is directly elected by the electorate [Chapter 14.11] It must be noted that a lot of the functions of the metropolitan and provincial councils are left to an Act of parliament and are not clearly articulated in the constitution .The current Provincial Councils Act is not adequate for these purposes as it is not in harmony with the new constitutional order . Critically local government is also provided for in the new constitution but much is also left to an enabling Act of parliament .Both the Rural District Councils Act and the Urban Councils Act need to be urgently amended ,repealed or aligned to the new constitution so as to provide a sound framework for this new dispensation . These tiers of government have an adequate foundation in the new constitution but these are inadequate in the absence of a supporting superstructure in the form of enabling legislation .Once a clear legislative framework is in place Zimbabwe can work towards sustainable socio economic development predicated on sound local democracy ,good service delivery and local development

Consumer Activism

CITIZENAND CUSTOMER ARE KINGS –THE IMPERTIVE OF CONSUMER ACTIVISM By Dumisani Nkomo Away from the madness of Zimbabwean politics is an equally maddening phenomenon of the erosion of consumer rights ,the death of customer care and the virtual collapse of quality service delivery at all levels for Zimbabweans in all walks of life .Why should getting a passport be an achievement? and why should getting a drivers license be something of a miracle ? whilst getting a birth certificate or identity document be as difficult as going through the eye of a needle ?Many banks treat their customers like their slaves who owe them a living . Why has law enforcement by the police become the preserve of those who line the pockets of police officers .Only those with ZANU P.F caps and t shirts are able to get away from corrupt traffic police officers who have turned corruption into an institution .Why do pensioners get pittances whilst their funds have been used to build expensive shopping malls and other buildings whilst they continue to wallow in poverty after contributing to pension schemes for years only to be told that their savings were eroded with the disappearance of the Zimbabwean dollar .Why should bank tellers ,till operators and commuter omnibus operators treat us like they are doing us favors when their businesses would collapse without us their “valued consumers? .I would like to give a few personal glimpses of nasty experiences at the hands of service providers as well as broader challenges that citizen /consumers face at the hands of faceless and ruthless private and public institutions who have made rudeness a national occupation and corruption a way of life . The Police and The Criminal Justice System Almost a year ago I assisted a young lady[ actually a juvenile ] to report a case of rape and after physically reporting the case to a bunch of un co operative police officers at Queens Park Police Station ,I personally organized transport for the police officers ,the suspect and the victim .For the past eight months we have been shuttling from the police station to the courts and up to now the case has not even seen the light of day in the courts in spite of all the rhetoric about gender rights and the rights of children .The criminal justice system has virtually collapsed and both the law enforcement agencies and the courts appear to be unable or unwilling to deal with cases as the one I described above in spite off numerous attempts to push both the police and the courts to act .Is justice only for the rich or the corrupt? .The Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission needs to be brought in to investigate Corruption in the police force .Corruption in the Vehicle Inspection Department is well documented and legendary but has become a fact of life . Births and Passports One of the most traumatic things to have to go through is the process of either securing a new passport ,replacing a lost one or renewing an expired one .One is made to feel they are applying to go to heaven by some of the officers concerned .Even going to heaven takes one to accept Christ into their lives but getting a passport ,securing an identity document can be quite a nightmare in independent Zimbabwe . .Why does it have to be so complicated in this world of technology it should literally take a few minutes ? .The process is as cumbersome as lobola with the applicant being treated like someone who committed some gruesome crime against some ancestor or the other .This is worsened by rude officers with no idea that the customer is king . Just last year I was quite horrified when attending a villagers meeting in Mthunduluka ,Plumtree when a an official from ZESA Holdings decided to address shocked villagers in a language they did not understand without apologizing or showing any sign of remorse .There is absolutely nothing wrong with speaking in any of the national languages including Shona or Ndebele but surely for one to address a group of villagers in Mangwe in Shona or in Ndebele in Murewa is short of scandalous .Communication is essential in service delivery and the police and parastatals are especially notorious in showing little or no respect for local languages .How then does the provider of the service get feedback on his /her product when he/she does not understand the consumer of the service or goods? Pension and Depositors Funds Without funds from depositors and contributors banking institutions and statutory beneficiary social security institutions would virtually collapse .There should be equal diligence in accounting for funds of depositors ,contributors and tax payers as there is in soliciting or collecting these funds .I was impressed with pensioners from Brethren In crhist and Mennonite Churches in Canada who in 2010 lobbied the Canadian government to investigate the conduct of mining companies they had invested in .They argued that the mining companies based in Canada with operations in East and Southern Arica had contributed to the displacement of thousands of locals and environmental degradation .As conscious investors through pension funds they then lobbied the government through a Private Members Bill for a piece of legislation to compel mining companies to be socially responsible .Although not totally successful this was an example of shareholder activism .Imagine pensioners from the Railways or NSASSA beneficiaries publicly lobbying for the responsible use of their funds through responsible investments. I remember at the height of the Zim dollar madness many companies and N.G.O’s lost funds in banks that had been placed under curatorship with some banks converting the depositors funds in foreign currency accounts into equity without the consent of the depositors .Others lost their life savings and investments .Is this not some form of legalized theft of depositors funds by vampire state institutions ? . Solutions I would like to suggest that in order to curb the rampant abuse of consumers ,customers ,contributors ,depositors and so forth the following be done : Consumer Activism We need more organized consumer activism with consumers organizing themselves to withhold their money from service providers who mistreat them .In order for this to work it has to be properly organized and should not lead to anarchy .The Consumer Council of Zimbabwe which is statutory body need to be capacitated to handle the needs of consumers to challenge the excesses of state entities and corporates . Shareholder/Depositor Activism Depositors should not blindly deposit their money into banks and allow themselves to be abused by some banking institutions .Efforts should be made to organize depositors so that their funds are safe and those who abuse depositors and their funds should be subjected to organized ,non violent consumer resistance . State institutions should be schooled in tenets of the new constitution such as the Chapter On Public Administration and Leadership which outlines how public institutions and public officials should behave .Constitutional bodies such as the Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission should urgently investigate the culture of corruption in most if not all public institutions .Companies should send their employees for customer service training .This is not an expense but an investment which will increase their returns . The customer is King .

Indigenization

Indigenization –Distributing Poverty Or Wealth Distribution By Dumisani Nkomo I have no qualms about the broader intents and philosophy of black economic empowerment , however such a policy has the potential of actually creating new problems instead of solving old problems .Whilst indigenization and empowerment seeks to correct historic wrongs and involve the previously disadvantaged black majority it could actually result in the distribution of poverty instead of wealth .At times hunger forces people to kill the cow that gives them milk on a daily basis and for a whole week people may revel and feast on meat but in the long term they will run out of meat and pray for the return of the cow that gives the milk .In The same vein if the indigenization and empowerment programme is implemented callously and carelessly it will have genocidal effects on the economy resulting in increased poverty instead of broader economic growth ,employment creation and improved standards of living .I would like to argue that there is something fundamentally wrong with any economic or socio economic model that is predicated on transferring wealth without due emphasis on creation of wealth . Wealth Distribution Versus Wealth Creation The ZANU P.F Election manifesto states that a ZANU P.F would target 1,138 companies in 14 sectors for indigenization in the process unlocking value of U.S 7,3 million .I would like to argue that merely focusing on transferring wealth from one group to another would be suicidal for the economy in a number of respects .We have to grow our national cake before deciding to slice it up among ourselves especially at a time when the cake is shrinking in size and value .Do we not believe that we can make it as black people without grabbing from others ?.Strive Masiyiwa ,Nigel Chanakira ,Mthuli Ncube and Trevor Ncube are some of our very own Zimbabwean businesspersons who have proved that blacks can also successfully create wealth and run successful companies without having to grab from some white businessman somewhere .Sadly some of these great entrepreneurs have been declared unwanted in Zimbabwe when they should be living examples of how black Zimbabweans working together with Zimbabweans of various racial groups can make it on their own . There are just too many people who want to take over farms ,mines and companies without adding any value to the entity ,the economy and the nation .We need wealth creators that will create employment and opportunities for other Zimbabweans not wealth accumulators for whom owning a company is a status symbol not a vehicle for empowerment ,creating wealth and jobs . Patronage and Corruption Corruption ,cronyism and patronage networks are now embedded institutions in our national ethos and the indigenization and empowerment process is likely to deepen and accentuate these cancerous activities which have made the economy similar to the ruins on the ZANU P.F logo .There are valuable lessons from South Africa where the A.N.C National chairperson and struggle icon Baleka Mbethe is facing corruption allegations over a company that was targeted for Black ECONOMIC Empowerment [B.E.E.] .There are also cases of connected young South Africans who have never worked in their lives but are millionaires because of patronage networks which have produced a generation of “tendepreuners ‘ who win tenders without the capacity to deliver services or goods .I hope Minister Francis Nhema institutes an audit on who has benefitted from the current indigenization process lest we find it is a tiny “coterie or “criminal cabal “masquerading as champions of black economic empowerment secretly lining their pockets whilst everybody else wallows in grinding poverty . Milk and Apples George Orwell describes this aptly in his prophetic classic Animal arm were the pigs [ruling class ] set aside for themselves the milk and apples Propaganda chief Squealer tells the other animals “comrades we are eating those apples and drinking that milk for your own sake comrades ,imagine If we failed to eat those apples and to drink that milk Jones would come back “. The past ten years have seen a new class of rich young blacks many of whom neither “toil not spin ‘but whose only claim to wealth is patronage and links with the ruling elite .These are eating and drinking on behalf of the masses . Mass Economic Participation A Myth Whilst mass participation in the economy is noble it is largely mythical as not everybody can own or run a business .This is not racial but universal as the trend in advanced economies with high economic levels is that most people are happy working and earning a salary .This a simple act which has nothing to do with being black or white For most in Zimbabwe what we call businesses are actually survival strategies or coping mechanisms to survive in this harsh economic environment .Many of these people could be happily employed if the economic environment was conducive .Of course there are many people out there who can turn their small businesses into thriving enterprises but surely to expect an entire population to own and run businesses is simply delusional and is the highest form of self delusion and fantasy We now have generation of people who want to run ‘their own things “,their own N.G.Os ,their own bakeries ,their own companies which is absolutely fantastic but the problem is that we are not encouraging the culture of hard work ,productivity and innovation to along with this noble spirit .We cant have a whole nation of people “running their own things “,this is only possibly where an economy has collapsed and people are trying to survive as is in one case .We should not therefore build a whole ideology for whole economic policy based on survival and make this into a national policy . I am all for black empowerment , I am all for indigenization and black empowerment but it needs to be based on the right foundations .It should not be based on grabbing from the whites but building our own viable business enterprises .It should not be based on who you know and patronage networks but on quality of service ,quality of goods and affordability .The final product is not black of white but it should be of the right quality whether it was produced by a black man ,white man or pink man or woman .Indigenization should not become an excuse for poor workmanship ,poor customer care and poor delivery . What Should Be Done Hardworking entrepreneurs should be rewarded through access to credit facilities at reasonable interest ,tender opportunities ,capacity enhancement through skills enhancement and mentoring .Just dishing out thousands of dollars with just result in distribution of poverty instead of wealth . I was actually intrigued three weeks back when I visited a furniture company owned by a black family from Bulawayo .They did not grab it from a white man but their t product was excellent ,their service incredible and the delivery precise .These are the black entrepreneurs we should be empowering not some lap top ,brief case tendepreuners who survive on graft and patronage Mayibuye

The Best Presidential Candidate

Who Should Be President –Key Qualities By Dumisani O. Nkomo Elections are upon us like a thief and it is imperative for Zimbabweans to be clear about what kind of person they want to lead the country .It would be critical for citizens ,the media and civil society to be debating on what kind of president we need as a country at this time .It is also critical for people to interrogate the ideas and issues which the presidential candidates are bringing to the electoral table .My article will thus not focus on individuals contesting in the elections but rather what kind of individuals should occupy the office of the president .People will then be free to pass their own judgements and make their own choices depending on whether their preferred candidates pass this test or indeed other tests as this template is by no means exhaustive Presidential Candidates The person who is elected as the next president of Zimbabwe must be somebody who is capable of steering the country from economic stagnancy to the path of sustainable economic growth epitomized by increased investor confidence translating to direct foreign investment .This will lead to increased to economic activity culminating in job creation .The new president must also be able to harness the rich economic potential which the country has already in the form of bountiful mineral reserves , and resource .The president should be somebody who has a vision of a Zimbabwe of the future and not necessarily be fixated with the past .The president should be in touch with global economic ,social ,political and developmental trends .He or she but unfortunately there was no woman who submitted her name must be a person who is in touch with the people ,in touch with reality and emerging governance trends .This is tragic because many African leaders are obsessed with the past ,obsessed with themselves and obsessed with accumulating wealth at the expense of the masses . The head of state and government should be more than a politician but also a statesman who is able to inspire support from various stratas of Zimbabwean community including diverse political parties ,government institutions ,the business sector ,churches ,traditional leaders and the citizenry .The president should be a person of integrity ,this is not to say that he or she should be a paragon of virtue as a president is not called to sainthood but governance .Morality is important but should not be a sole determinant as this is an election for a president not a pope .A president should thus be morally responsible but this alone is enough as other skills and competencies are needed to govern a country . Whilst Nicollo Machiavelli postulates that the leader or the Prince as he refers to the leader must “be feared rather than loved “, I would like to say that the leader should be loved and not feared .He or she must not be a person who personalises state institutions and processes but subjects himself or herself to democratic processes .The president must not be a lion but rather an eagle that is able to identify future challenges and take the country forward. The president must be a person who respects the constitution and constitutional processes .Those who aspire to the office of president should thus have a record in respecting their own party constitutions and processes. The president must be able to distinguish between the party and the government and not confuse or fuse the two as the two are separate and distinct .The party may have the mandate to rule but it governs on behalf of all Zimbabweans .A president should thus be able to inspire support and confidence from Zimbabweans from across the political,racial ,gender and ethnic divide . The quality of the presidential aspirant should be measured by what is constitutionally required of a president which includes but is not limited to : Upholding and defending the constitution, conferring awards ,appointing and receiving diplomats ,oversight over foreign policy etc .The head of state also declares war and peace in accordance with social the constitution .All this means the president should have mix or be imbued with social entrepreneurship ,political acumen and craft competence in leadership . Zimbabwe need s a president with the integrity of Daniel and the vision of Joseph [both bible characters for the purposes of the spiritually uninitiated].He or she but since we have concluded that current reality dictates that the person will be a he should be like a son of Isaac –who understands the times and understands what should be done [1 Chronicles 12:32 ] .The president should not be obsessed with making war and love but peace and stability . The citizenry should be able to decipher clearly what a president has to offer and how they proffer to make their vision into policy ,policy into reality .Our electoral politics is bereft and destitute of substance but focuses on peripheral issues of ethnicity and personality .In a proper democracy the presidential candidates should be summoned to live electoral debates beamed on national television and radio both state and private .They should clearly articulate their party manifestoes and justify why people should vote for them .This will only be possible with a media that is non partisan [both private and state ] .Elections should be a contest of ideas and ideologies not just personalities .This is not to say the country necessarily needs rocket scientists to take it forward as wisdom can be learned but not taught. Let us scrutinize the quality of presidential candidates, the quality their party manifestoes, the quality of the ideas and not just be carried away by the quantity of people making noise on their behalf as nations are ruled by ideas not noise .Admittedly this may only be relevant to future elections as our electoral democracy is still evolving and growing .The tragedy of politics is the fact that the most popular politician may not necessarily be the best man or woman for the job.

Attempted Political Suicide

ZANU P.F ‘S ATTEMPTED SUICIDE

 By Dumisani O Nkomo

The disastrous attempt by ZANU P.F to unilaterally declare the 31^st of July 2013 as the election date has proven to be an act of unprecedented suicide by the former ruling party which had to bear the indignity of a colossal diplomatic defeat in Maputo at the hands of the M.D.C formations .Whilst observers have noted that ZANU P.F shot itself on the foot my opinion is that they shot themselves on the head and not the foot.

SADC Diplomatic Defeat

The SADC Extra ordinary summit on Zimbabwe was in itself a huge diplomatic defeat for Robert Mugabe and  ZANU P.F in that in the first place the party fought tooth and nail to ensure that the summit did not happen .They tried to delay the summit as it became clear that they were not ready for  the regional body and the subsequent resolutions that emanated from there .Reports clearly indicate that Professor Welshman Ncube floored and mauled ZANU P.F with a polished and eloquent presentation focussing on the legal morass brought about by the unilateral declaration by Mugabe. He was ably assisted by Morgan Tsvangirai who made a mature and stately presentation. Mugabe had clearly identified Ncube as an obstacle and had tried to isolate him from the meetings of the principals and the summit proved why as the man was simply on fire and; an earlier tag team with Tsvangirai would have long resulted in reforms and results .Tsvangirai on the other hand found a worthy tag team partner and must be kicking himself as to why he sided with Mugabe in sidelining Ncube  who has proved to be a political colossus on the negotiating table

Regional Isolation

The SADC resolutions which included the  immediate annulling of   Mugabe’s fast tracked “ reforms” or is it “deforms “to the electoral  laws through presidential powers and the need to pass the laws through parliament .Importantly Minister Patrick Chinamasa was asked to approach the Constitutional Court to seek an extension to the election date and  SADC also demanded reforms to AIPPA and POSA .Quite clearly SADC is taking a hard line stance to ZANU P.F ‘s  chicanery and the ailing ruling party is being increasingly isolated in the region  .

International Attention

The election quagmire has not only attracted the attention of SADC but also the African Union which has already dispatched an observer mission .This means it may be very difficult for ZANU P.F to engage in open acts of unilateralism or overt violence .They have invited the international community to one’s again focus on Zimbabwe and in doing so scored a spectacular own goal.

Uniting Enemies

The unilateral act by Mugabe has brought the country’s opposition parties together  with the M.D .C-T,M.D.C , Z.A.P.U and Mavambo Kusile Project coming together to condemn Mugabe’s actions .Much to ZANU P.F ‘S  horror  their actions have culminated in the possibility of an electoral pact between the opposition parties .This would surely seal the party’s electoral pact and dissipate their chances in the Presidential and parliamentary elections .Although most of the parties have concluded their primary elections for parliament and local government an electoral pact continues to be an unfolding reality .All of a sudden the opposition political parties or rather the former opposition parties have been united because of ZANU P.F unilateralism  .They have calculated that they can only deal with the former liberation movement by combining their energy and effort .ZANU P.F ‘S  actions can thus be described as attempted political suicide as the key strategy in politics is to ensure that you keep your opposition divided .

Division in ZANU P.F

It must be borne in mind that ZANU P.F like any political or social entity is not homogenous but is composed of various interest groups ,factions ,differing personalities and so forth .Not surprisingly not everyone in ZANU P.F was and is for an early action for various and different reasons .Surprisingly in spite of their bravado and apparent misplaced Dutch courage ZANU P.F  is the only party of the inclusive government parties which still  has not held primary elections .Their only known candidate is the 89 year old Robert Mugabe  .

However the primary elections within the party which are due on Wednesday the 26^th ,have resulted once more in rampant factionalism and open defiance of  party directives .Allegations of candidate imposition and double standards have marred  the ZANU P.F  Primary elections process which had to be postponed by the party’s national chairman Simon Khaya  Moyo .

All this commotion within the ruling party has been caused by a rushed decision which has intensified factionalism and the battle for succession within the party.

Whilst some argue that ZANU P.F played everybody a dummy by getting everybody to focus on the dates of the elections and the legal conundrum surrounding the issue whilst they would then focus on grassroots mobilization there is no evidence of this as the proclamation and political panic generated by the election date saga has caused more organized confusion in the ZANU P.F camp.

Undoubtedly ZANU P.F is becoming increasingly isolated and is almost entirely dependent on the state security apparatus and control of key state organs for continued political survival.

Dumisani O. Nkomo is an activist and opinion leader

Ten Ways of Rigging An Election

Ten Ways of Rigging An Election

By Dumisani O. Nkomo

The country heads for historic elections in the next few months and I would like to throw a few thoughts on how elections can be rigged .It is also interesting to note that rigging is not the preserve of ZANU P.F but even some opposition parties have mastered the art as well judging from accusations from some people who lost in their parties primary elections .However this article looks at how the current system can be used to rig elections in favour of ZANU P.F which has been accused of rigging elections from as far back as 1980 .As to whether there is substance to this, is another story altogether and the subject of an entirely different article .

 

Voter Registration

Whilst on paper voter registration appears to be going on well with two phases of registration being done, voter registration  has  been done in such a manner  that registration centres are concentrated in ZANU P.F strongholds  whilst limiting numbers in opposition strongholds .This means more ZANU P.F supporters will be registered to vote in the elections

Aliens

The so called aliens will experience difficulties in practising their right to vote as it may take time for their citizenship to be regularized in the next 75 days .An early election [31 July ] or even 14 August will be too early for them to have dealt with the administrative hurdles of rectifying their new citizen status .Once again thousands of voters most of whom would have voted for the opposition will be disenfranchised  .It is a fact that most migrant labourers from Zambia and Malawi were employed in then thriving industries ,mines and the rail sector but after the economic collapse presided over by ZANU P.F  most of them will vote for the alternative to ZANU P.F

Soldiers

Many soldiers will be forced to apply for special votes which is a status usually given to members of the uniformed forces who are on duty and are not in their normal places of residence .They may be forced to vote in barracks and camps under compulsion from their superiors and if monitoring is weak they will be compelled to vote for ZANU P.F . This will swell ZANU P.F votes for both presidential and parliamentary elections

This coincides with the massive recruitment of new soldiers and policemen many of whom were previously unemployed and unemployable .Many of the new recruits may be bracketed under the category of special voters and this may result in manipulation of ballots .In the rural areas quasi police units such as the Neighbourhood Watch Committees [Ongxoza ]will be used not just to intimidate voters but  will also be compelled to vote in police camps .

Returning /Absentee Residents

Zimbabweans who are continuously  absent for a period of six  to twelve months may find themselves deleted from the voters roll and finding their way into supplementary voters’ roll which may be used for facilitating ghost voting  Zimbabweans resident in South Africa or Botswana  will be systematically frustrated at border posts resulting in few of them registering to vote or checking their names in the voters roll and consequently  in many being disenfranchised on voting day

Social Engineering

There has been in the past, massive social engineering typified by resettlement of  people to opposition strongholds  deliberately, systematically and purposefully .New ZANU P.F strongholds have been established in places such as Harare South ,Marula in Mangwe ,Insiza North ,Bubi ,Umguza just to name a few .This has been done through the creation of new settlements with the use of formal and informal processes such as resettlement ,allocation of land or stands .Urban settlements which are opposition strongholds have been a target for such activities with so called co-operatives getting stands and land  in previous opposition strongholds  .These new settlements owe their status ,rank and possessions to ZANU P.F and will vote for ZANU P.F

The population of army barracks, police camps and training depots will be swelled as a result of social engineering to boost ZANU P.F votes.

Special Voting

There remains great potential for special votes to be manipulated in favour of ZANU P.F .Special votes are usually votes cast by members of the uniformed forces after having applied to do so due the constraints of duty usually when serving members are deployed to places which are beyond their home areas. Members of the security forces may be intimidated into applying for special votes which may if monitoring is not thorough result in the voting process being skewed in favour of ZANU P.F  .Postal votes  will also be manipulated if there is poor monitoring .

Voter’s Roll

The Voter’s roll remains the single biggest potential source of rigging with allegations of ghost voters and the elimination of perceived oppossion supporters from the voters roll .This is not helped at all, as the process of maintaining the voters roll continues to fall under the office of the discredited Registrar General’s office which is seen by some as being partisan.

Security Sector

State security structures such as the old Joint Operations Command will campaign for ZANU P.F either covertly or overtly right up to ward and village level .The state security structures have in effect been fused with the structures of ZANU P.F and are being used to monitor and police activities of opposition parties and civil society organizations.

The large number of C.I.O. operatives, police and army members participating as candidates for ZANU P.F in the elections effectively means that state security organs will be manipulated to serve the interests of one political party in the elections.

Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and Registrar General’s office

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and the Registrar General’s office will be populated with security officers  all with the same mandate of maintaining the political status quo .These are just a few ways in which the elections may be rigged excluding counting ,collation, tallying, ballot stuffing ,multiple voting  etc which are used in other countries where political fraudsters use sophisticated techniques  .More brute methods such as vote buying through food aid and hand outs are already being used but these will largely fail because people just consume the food and vote for the opposition in many cases

However in spite of all these machinations ZANU P.F will lose to a united front of the two M.D.C ‘S even if they do rig the elections .It must be noted that not all members of the security forces are pro ZANU P.F as noted by Baba Jukwa in one of his /her /their instalments and the plan of using the army and police to manipulate the electoral process will fail.

 

Dumisani O Nkomo is an activist and opinion leader

He can be contacted on Dumisani .nkomo@gmail.com

Dumisani O Nkomo: Election Pact Between M.D.C Formations Essential

Dumisani O Nkomo: Election Pact Between M.D.C Formations Essential: Electoral Pact –ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY By Dumisani O. Nkomo Last year I suggested that an electoral pact is imperative and inevitabl...

Election Pact Between M.D.C Formations Essential

Electoral Pact –ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY

By Dumisani O. Nkomo

Last year I suggested that an electoral pact is imperative and inevitable having said since then there has been heated debate on the issues. I would like to categorically state that if the two M.D.C ‘s do not agree on such an arrangement chances of them losing to ZANU P.F are quite high. This arrangement would help in constructing a stable new economic and political architecture  in the post ZANU P.F era as the former presidential party is unable and or unwilling to capture international support and investor confidence .The two M.D.C ‘s should look at the greatest good for the greatest number of people and  this I believe would be an electoral pact which would enable them to field one candidate for the presidential elections and concur on candidates for parliamentary and local government elections .

Political Egos

The biggest impediment to an electoral pact between the two M.D C formations I not ideological as both parties are two dominant and separate social democratic entities .I would like to argue that in the current contestation; it is more about egos than about anything since both formations want to prove that they have political muscle and support . The M.D.C –T would like to prove that once and for all that it is the most dominant party by vanquishing the M.D.C led by Ncube and ZANU P.F. The M.D.C led by Professor Ncube would like to prove it has gained ground and is a king maker in Zimbabwean politics. In both  these assumptions the two parties are correct because political parties exists to contest for power and not to share  power necessarily. In a normal cases  political parties can also exist to defend and advance specific geo political ,socio-cultural ,economic or environmental interests .However in the context of Zimbabwe such a political architecture is a luxury we cannot afford and the political super structure in Zimbabwe provides no room for such luxuries .If the two parties continue to dilly dally ZANU P.F AND Mugabe will win the next elections confining  the two formations to history  as Zimbabwean   politics in five years time may will be quite different from current politics with the possible emergence of strong alternative  new political factors ,formations and voices ,with the possibility of a reformed ZANU P.F at best and a deformed one at worst .In essence this is the last chance for the MD.C.-T and Morgan Tsvangirai   to win  elections   and this could be the last time for Professor Ncube to continue being  relevant  to Zimbabwean politics .

The ZANU P.F FACTOR

In the same manner that the resurgence of Ncube’s M.D.C is undoubted ,the resurgence of ZANU P.F is a political reality for the following reasons :

Apathy

Apathy is likely to be a factor in the next elections as the electorate  is likely to have little motivation for voting  .Even then voter turn out is  likely  to  dwindle as it has for the past three elections .The protest vote on the other hand is unpredictable and may shrink  .The protest vote has also been affected by a massive exodus to the diaspora .

Secondly the Community Share Ownership Schemes and Indigenization  Programmes  whilst being  quite genocidal and suicidal for the economy may get ZANU P.F   few more votes especially in rural Mashonaland ,Manicaland ,Masvingo and a few pockets in Matabeleland .

This coupled  with dents to the brand of Morgan Tsvangirai in the past  year u to well documented policy inconsistencies  and personal misdemeanours  has significantly eroded the M.D.C –T ‘s support .This does not however automatically translate into support for Ncube in all cases but rather erosion of confidence in the whole voting and political process . thus contributing to apathy .This makes an electoral pact absolutely necessary as both parties could end up being the biggest losers .

The M.D.C formation  led  by Ncube has made a remarkable turn around and is indeed a force to reckon with but will not win the presidential or parliamentary elections .If Zimbabweans are still motivated primarily by the desire to remove Mugabe and ZANU P.F , the M.D.C [Ncube ]would then a become an unfortunate victim of broader protest politics  regardless of the quality of  their policies and candidate[s].Ncube will definitely make a huge mark on the southern part  of country but In the broader scheme of political arithmetic this may present an advantage to Mugabe and ZANU P.F  who will benefit  from a split presidential vote and splits in votes for parliamentary seats  coupled with apathy .

At the end of it all the two M.D.C ‘s should ensure that they maximize both the presidential and parliamentary votes and the best way of  doing this is through an electoral pact based on agreed upon formulas .

I agree as a Ndebele that it is unacceptable for a Ndebele to be only seen as a vice president and not be able to contest  for the post of president but in the current scheme of things Ncube can still mount a  formidable challenge in 2018 instead of going the “all or nothing” route .  The M.D.C –T is also presented with a win -win situation as they need to win the presidential election and secure a majority in parliament .

I am aware that there is  a lot of bitterness and acrimony  between the  two parties as a result of the original split in 2006 ,the failed 2008 agreement amongst other things .Such is life when a husband and wife fight all they remember are the worst attributes and characteristics  of the other person  .In essence the  two have more in common than they realize and they both have more to gain from an electoral pact .We need the genius and substance of Welshman Ncube  as well  as the charisma and brand of Morgan Tsvangirai .I am confident that the two leaders and two parties will show the nation that they are true statesmen and national leaders with the people at heart .What they are doing now is like the old story of little children who fight over what they would do with money if ever they picked it ,even before they have picked the money .Grow up .

 

Mayibuye I Zimbabwe

Dumisani  O Nkomo is the chief executive officer of Habakkuk Trust ,activist and spokesperson of the Matabeleland Civil Society Forum .He writes in his personal capacity .He can .be on Dumisani.nkomo@gmail.com or follow his blog dumisanionkomo.blogspot.com