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Home > HOME > Editorial ─ Zimbabwe's election of sorts

Editorial ─ Zimbabwe's election of sorts


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Sun, 17 Feb 2008 11:09:00 +0000



THE March 29 harmonised elections will be one of sorts. There are four presidential candidates confirmed, newcomers to both the presidential and parliamentary elections, and old politicians like Edgar Tekere are also trying to battle it out again.

 

For the first time in election history the ruling party has fielded two candidates in one constituency. MDC also has had more than one parliamentary candidate in more than one constituency. Not worrying by the look of it as each party feels that chances are higher if you have more candidates. It’s only worrying if you have more than one candidate in your stronghold.

 

If Zanu PF has two candidates in safe rural constituencies, the candidates will subdivide the vote and MDC might have a chance, if it fields one candidate. The reverse is also true. If MDC fields more than one candidate in a safe urban constituency, then they may lose to Zanu PF, if it fields one candidate in that same constituency. Not a clear-cut mathematical equation. In the urban areas Simba Makoni’s people might add a variable. Independent candidates, not Makoni’s people, might also add to the matrix.

 

Ibbo Mandaza is contesting under the Makoni banner in Mazowe West (House of Assembly) constituency. He will go head-to-head with Richard Chirongwe of Zanu-PF, Willard Chiwanza (MDC Mutambara) and Gilbert Kabodora (MDC Tsvangirai).

 

Political maverick Edgar Tekere ‘is back’; much the dead pan phrase ‘I’ll be back’ associated with Arnold Schwarzenegger's title character from the 1984 science fiction film The Terminator. Whether Tekere ‘drives a car through the front door and terminates his opponents’ in a Mutare Senatorial race against his former ZUM colleague Daniel Sithole, Esau Mupfumi of Zanu PF and Keresencia Chabuka of MDC (Tsvangirai) faction; remains to be seen.

 

Does anyone remember Levison Chikafu who formed a political party recently ─ the Liberal Democratic Party? He will battle it out with Zanu-PF Politburo member Didymus Mutasa. Last time we heard these two names mentioned in one breath was when Chikafu was prosecutor during Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa’s trial for obstruction of justice, involving Didymus Mutasa. How ironic!

 

Newcomer Mutambara will be contesting the Zengeza West (House of Assembly) constituency and we hear he is guns blazing; campaigning. He faces former trade unionist Collin Gwiyo, representing the MDC faction led by Tsvangirai and former war veterans’ leader Patrick Nyaruwata of Zanu PF. This will be an interesting one…

 

Zanu PF members who had lost primaries have opted to run as unofficial Zanu PF members. Their fate is not known if they win.

 

This is an election of sorts indeed. Whether it’s democracy at work or not remains to be seen.

 

What is true is that neither the MDC nor Zanu PF has a definite advantage; despite Chamisa’s claims that Zanu PF is mincemeat. Zanu PF could bring another shocker and make meatballs out of that mincemeat. There are no givens in politics.


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ARTICLE ATTACHMENTS

READER OPINIONS

beiniti • kwelars@cooltoad.com
Subject: shinga mwana wevhu
Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:42:44
• 1 might wonder why imin this foreign country as i was growing i was told that baba chatunga is not a good leader for the past 27 yrs he hasbeen my leader i have tried him and found him wanting of course we might deny it but let me tell you one thing for certain for 27yrs the sprits of zimbabwe have allowed him tobe our leader but remember nebucadnezer im in SA not because i want its bcaz of you sekuru now there are three candidates thus SM TSVANGSON AND BABA CHATUNGA im planing to come and vote on the 29 but now im im undicided kuti ndovhotera ani tsvangison nguva yake yadarikao SM Ineed the sprits to convince me u are genuine the sprits are only telling me that zimbabwe willhave the best laeder and it will never be a colony if you realy want to know what the sprits are saying about this candidates guys i will tell yu zimbabwe ndeye ropa thats a fact that yu should not run away from vakomana udzai tsvangirayi atsigire makoni chete zwese mozozvionera


MacVivo • n/a
Subject: NOEL ZINHU
Sun, 17 Feb 2008 16:43:42
• What is this? Campaigning on the internet?? Are you out of your mind? Cyber-campaigns only work here in the USA etc not for Zim. What you guys should be doing is stumping in the rural areas. In case you don't know it, the majority of people who read online newspapers......like me, they are in the daispora and had no intention of going home to vote. In fact, you are wasting your time my friend.....tell Simba that campaigning online is a waste of time............


Noel Zinhu • noelzinhu@gmail.com
Subject: Simba Makoni for President
Sun, 17 Feb 2008 11:56:28
• Vote for New Political dispensation: Simba Makoni (SM) for President

Our prayers for a new Zimbabwe have been answered men and women let us continue to pray that SM as an independent is elected into power. He will sure usher in a new political dispensation were the contest is not of fists but mind not foolish attacks on personalities the politics of the old.

Our Zimbabwe for long has been torn in into two camps of Zanu and Mdc that’s making it highly polarized for nation building, it's now high time we have a President and Commander In Chief who is an independent that is not affiliated to a political grouping/ party. This is our answer long we have been crying for an independent judiciary and Election commission the rightfully person to appoint these into being is non other than a non political president who will be a nation's defender.

I believe SM promises a new constitution this then must be later enshrined in our constitution were a president shall not be required to actively participate in politics so as to cater for the whole nation across the divide this will ensure that appointment shall not be to kitchen party cabinet members or ardent party cadres as they all say but rather to deserving Zimbos across the political divide.

May be later then we might have a Prime Minister who might be heading a political party with the majority in parliament to head a government who will be appointed by the president.

MT and RGM are two sides of the same coin there will be no real change but it will only be change in personalities, all stand for corruption, dictatorship, violent and etc. No one can deny that MDC has now become the most violent party especially MT's grouping heard what happened ku Gweru, ku Harvest House, Harare North, ku St Marys the list is just endless. Lets All Say No Vehemence to Morgan and his compatriot Robert. Morgan's art of politics shows he is still Zanu no matter he might have left earlier, zanu policies have stuck with him, his politics of violence, personal attack hand picking of his kitchen party cabinet his unilateral decisions and etc. Why can they not all learn from Dr SM our own Obama 'let this not be a contest of personalities, fists and guns but of mind, progress and development iniatives' so says our future nation builder. We long for a time when supporters of Zanu, MDC will all drink together fellowship at church together not what is happening at Anglican church now. He says he is not running against anyone but for the people of Zimbabwe. A chronicle stupid cartoonist all he thinks is boxing and fists he must be arrested he is fuelling tension.



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