eBusiness Weekly
Africa Moyo
The sonorous sound of the whistle, which is politically associated with the opposition MDC-T, is now heard more often in Harare’s Central Business District.
Party supporters clad in their traditional red T-shirts and berets are also seen regularly milling at the party’s headquarters along Nelson Mandela Avenue.
At the Zanu-PF headquarters, activity has also heightened with party members walking in and out, mainly dressed in party regalia emblazoned with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s face.
Top-of-the-range, all-terrain vehicles and buses marked “Zanu-PF” have become a permanent feature on the country’s roads, which is expected for 55 year-old behemoth.
Indeed, the massive advertisement by political parties means a fortune for advertisement companies managing campaign materials for the protagonists.
Refreshingly, no reports of political parties being blocked to undertake their activities have been received so far — marking the highest levels of maturity in Zimbabwe’s body politic.
This is a paradigm shift for a country that was accused of using police to block opposition rallies during former President Robert Mugabe’s 37-year reign. Critically, 64 organisations have been invited to observe the elections, which President Mnangagwa has vowed would be free, fair and credible.
Of these, 46 are countries and 42 of them have confirmed their coming.
All these are signs of a country moving towards a watershed election, a first without former President Mugabe as a candidate since independence.
President Mnangagwa upped the ante last Saturday when he announced at an impromptu rally at Sakubva Stadium in Mutare after officiating at the renaming of Headquarters 3 Infantry Brigade Barracks to Herbert Chitepo Barracks, that election dates would be proclaimed by month-end.
Once the date has been proclaimed, political parties will officially plunge into frenzied campaigning to canvas for votes. Highlights are already on show, with big-name political parties — Zanu-PF and MDC-T (Chamisa) — holding preliminary rallies across the country, obviously testing waters.
However, Zanu-PF’s mobilisation strategy and presumably popularity, have been visible at the rallies with thousands of supporters turning up compared to paltry crowds for MDC-T (Chamisa).
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) — which is currently undertaking voters’ roll inspection — has indicated that 127 political parties gave notice to participate in the water plebiscite.
Indeed, voters will be spoiled for choice. Zanu-PF, Dr Joice Mujuru’s People’s Rainbow Coalition and MDC-T (Khupe)’s party, have launched their manifestos. MDC-T (Chamisa) says it is finalising its own.
Zanu-Pf means business
The Zanu-PF manifesto is quite elaborate regarding where the party wants to take the country. Zanu-PF’s manifesto theme resonates with the daily challenges that businesspeople and ordinary citizens grapple with daily.
The approved theme for the manifesto simply reads; unite, fight corruption, develop, re-engage and create jobs — indeed there is a greater need to create employment for millions of unemployed youths.
Critically, the party has started working towards delivering on the election promise, even before full-throttle campaign takes over.
It would take a thoroughly skeptical voter to assume Zanu-PF will eventually not deliver on its promises.
In terms of uniting the nation, President Mnangagwa declared he would “let bygones be bygones”, and perceived G-40 kingpins such as former Finance Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo and former Zanu-PF youth secretary Kudzanai Chipanga, are enjoying themselves in the country despite demonising the current party and national leader, President Mnangagwa.
Crucially, the return from self-imposed exile this week by former Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere, without incident, is indicative of how the new regime is keen to “unite” the country.
In terms of job creation, several top investors are targeting opportunities in mining, tourism, agriculture and manufacturing. Firm investment commitments of up to $15 billion have so far been received, with some key projects such as Karo Resources’ $4,2 billion platinum deal already taking shape.
Corruption is also being fought, with bigwigs such as Dr Chombo and former Tourism Minister Dr Walter Mzembi, appearing in court on various charges.
More importantly, President Mnangagwa also established a Special Anti-Corruption Unit this week to complement the Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission in its fight against graft.
Its overall objectives would be to improve efficiency in the battle against various forms of graft and to strengthen and improve the effectiveness of national mechanisms for the prevention and fight against corruption in accordance with the anti-corruption strategy.
The special unit would be housed in the Office of the President and Cabinet.
Opposition’s pie in the sky
The MDC-T splinter party led by Advocate Nelson Chamisa has traversed the length and breadth of the country making electoral promises.
Mr Chamisa
The three key selling points of the MDC-T have been the development of spaghetti roads, rural airports and the introduction of bullet trains.
While the promises are great and have potential to turn the country into a modern State, some voters suspect the MDC-T aspirations are too futuristic.
BBC Hardtalk presenter Stephen Sucker recently branded the MDC-T electoral promises “nonsensical”, as they are out of sync with today’s realities.
But critics are not surprised by Adv Chamisa’s promises. For long, the MDC-T has been promising jobs on the basis of revisiting the land reform programme and Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act. However, President Mnangagwa has tweaked the Indigenisation Act, removing the 51/49 percent shareholding requirement on all minerals apart from diamonds and platinum.
Platinum and diamond sectors are set to be addressed shortly. This has sucked the life out of opposition politics.
MDC-T (Khupe) launched its manifesto recently, and the bulk of issues are already being implemented by Zanu-PF.
The rest of opposition parties seem only keen to replace Zanu-PF but have nothing substantive to offer to the electorate that has been long yearning for development after years of living in a sanctions ravaged country.
There is a humorous saying some parties just want to make it into the country’s history after participating in the 2018 polls, or threatening to take part in the polls given that they might fail to raise required funds.
