28 Parties Eye Presidency in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairperson Justice Rita Makarau (standing), flanked by Commissioners Bessie Nhandara (left), Theophilus Gambe and her deputy Mrs Joyce Kazembe, speaks during a political parties’ meeting in Harare on April 22, 2013., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

28 parties eye Presidency

Tuesday, 14 May 2013 00:00
Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Zimbabwe Herald

AT LEAST 28 political parties are active in the country and eager to participate in harmonised elections, constitutionally due by June 29, when the life of the Seventh Parliament lapses.

The parties, some of which are eyeing the presidency, called for the speedy finalisation of the Constitution to afford them a chance to face the people.

Some demanded that they be funded from the fiscus, the same way parties in Parliament receive money from Treasury.

To qualify for funding, however, parties have to garner at least five percent of the seats in Parliament in terms of the Political Parties Finance Act.

All parties have been attending meetings convened by Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairperson Justice Rita Makarau for the past three weeks to resolving political disputes as the country gears for the elections.

Political parties that have been attending meetings with ZEC are Zanu-PF, MDC-T, MDC, Mavambo Kusile Dawn, Zanu Ndonga, Zimbabwe African People’s Union, Free Zim Congress and the African National Party led by Mr Egypt Dzinemunenzva.

Others include Rebuilding Party of Zimbabwe, Voice of the People, African National Council, Progressive and Innovative Movement for People’s Prosperity, Zimbabwe Youth Alliance, Democratic Alliance-United People’s Party, United Movement for Democracy, Zimbabwe Organised Open Political Party, Multiracial Open Party Christian Democrats, Zimbabwe Development Party, Zimbabwe Progressive Party and Popular Democratic Front.

A new party called Freedom Front, led by Mr Cosmas Mponda, is expected to be launched in Harare today.

Zanu (Ndonga) president Mr Gondai Vutuza underscored the need to hold elections early.
“We want to get out of the Government of National Unity. Time is running out. As a party we have always supported the idea of getting rid of the GPA which we believe has served its intended purpose.

“If elections can help us get out of this GNU creature, then let’s have them as a matter of urgency. We want a party that is answerable to the people of Zimbabwe. As a party we are more than ready for elections,” said Mr Vutuza.

Multi-Racial Open Party Christian Democracy secretary for information and publicity Mr Mathias Guchutu said his party supported early polls.

“It was supposed to have ended after 18 months. Let’s not continue procrastinating elections. Let’s have them at the earliest possible time,” said Mr Guchutu.

“We want to field a presidential candidate. All things being equal, we are negotiating on the dates because we feel that June 29 might be problematic for us.

“However, we are ready for the elections. I will contest in Harare Central and our party president Rev Mubaiwa will join the presidential race,” said Mr Guchutu.

Zanu Ndonga national chairperson Mr Reketayi Semwayo said they were still negotiating with some political parties.

“I will stand in Chipinge Central and we intend to field candidates in a number of constituencies. We are currently holding discussions with some political parties with a view of a coalition. If we agree, we can back their presidential candidate in return that they will not field candidates where we would have fielded ours in both parliamentary and council elections,” said Mr Semwayo.

Voice of the People secretary general Mr Moreprecision Muzadzi said their party would participate in the forthcoming harmonised polls.

“We are going to field candidates but our only concern is that ZEC is being underfunded to run elections. We believe that it should be sufficiently funded,” he said.

On presidential elections, he said they were holding discussions with other political parties and may support their allies’ presidential candidate in return for support in parliamentary elections for their candidates.

One of the leading grievances they have registered with ZEC in a meeting they held last month was that Government should fund them as well.

The same grievance was repeated in a meeting they held last Friday with Justice Makarau and commissioners from the electoral body.

The parties’ representatives complained that the playing field remained uneven as long as some parties were receiving funding from the fiscus while others were not.

It was their view that they were entitled to the money that Zanu-PF and the two MDC formations were proportionately getting in terms of Political Parties Finance Act.

Justice Makarau told them that the law as currently constituted provided that only those with at least five percent representation in Parliament were eligible for Government funding.

The law providing Government funding was enacted at the turn of the millennium after it emerged that some parties were being funded by hostile westerners, a development that saw Government outlawing foreign funding of political parties.

Justice Makarau said the law did not provide for an organisation that registered political parties.

“As ZEC, we have noted that these are issues that required amendment of the law. The extension of political parties’ funding to parties outside the Global Political Agreement have been noted and we have forwarded them to the appropriate authorities,” said Justice Makarau during the meeting.

Interestingly, among the familiar faces that attended last Friday’s meeting was ANP leader Mr Dzinemunenzva who also made contributions based on what he said was “experienced knowledge” on political processes in Zimbabwe.

Mr Dzinemunenzva is famous for seeking to contest almost all elections on offer, be it presidential, parliamentary or council.

Another party that attended last Friday’s meeting was Zanu (Ndonga) that was represented by its national chairperson,Mr Semwayo.

Multi-racial Christian Democrats spokesperson Mr Mathias Guchutu castigated Finance Minister Tendai Biti for not adequately funding ZEC.

“As a House we should make a statement that Treasury should provide money for ZEC and the registrar general of voters,” said Mr Guchutu who also doubles up as a trade unionist.