Zimbabwe’s official opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has hinted strongly that it will participate in the forthcoming March national election — even though conditions at present appeared to indicate otherwise.
The party argues that South Africa is losing up to half of its economic growth due to the crisis in Zimbabwe but it says there are stirrings of hope because South African President Thabo Mbeki has appointed senior aides to report progress every week “on the Zimbabwe issue”.
In a letter circulated to the media, the MDC’s economics spokesperson Eddie Cross said he had no doubt that Zimbabweans would see concessions — to the desire for democracy — in the next few weeks as the Zimbabwean Parliament sat to adopt the required changes that were needed to fulfil the country’s obligations under the recently signed SADC democracy protocols.
Cross, writing from Bulawayo, said: “Zanu-PF will stall on these changes until the very last minute and then will implement them to the letter, not the spirit of the changes brought about by the new legislation.”
He noted that the country’s neighbour, Botswana, was going through an electoral process at present — and it was only 100km from where he lived but it “might as well be on another planet”.
“We watch the Botswana television each night and see the balanced presentation of the news and coverage of all political parties. We see the state president being given no special coverage and we see the adverts from the Electoral Commission.”
But in Zimbabwe the state media poured out propaganda 24 hours a day and coverage of his party was strictly limited to negative analysis and criticism, he added.
“No exposure is given to MDC statements or speeches.No rallies are shown on TV or covered on the radio. On the ground no public meetings can be held without permission and attendance by the CIO (Central Intelligence Organisation). More than half of all applications are turned down — most with no reasons given — many of the authorised meetings are disrupted by [ruling] Zanu-PF thugs. It is an intolerable situation from any perspective.”
Cross said in the last parliamentary election in 2000 that the MDC had evidence of poll rigging to the extent of about 15% of the poll “and had this not taken place, the MDC would have won by a landslide”.
“In 2002, Zanu had to go overboard to get a win and after ballot stuffing up to 800 000 false votes and preventing nearly 400 000 MDC supporters from voting, they got a small majority,” he argued.
“There is no doubt in my mind, that by any measure, the MDC should have won both elections by a wide margin and had the courts done their duty, the MDC would have taken power at least three years ago.
“Now we have another shot at the Zanu-PF hold on power. We have been told that our strategy of sticking with change through democratic methods is a waste of time — that Zanu-PF only understands force. Well that may be true, but, for good or bad, we remain committed to change via a democratic vote.
“With all its flaws we believe that only democracy offers African states a path out of ignominy and poverty.
“Without a free and fair election, Zimbabwe is doomed to further destruction and despair. Failure to organise our affairs so that this becomes a possibility would also have profound implications for the entire region. I remain astounded that our neighbours show such scant concern for the fallout effect on their own economies of the Zimbabwe crisis in their midst. In particular, South Africa simply cannot go on sacrificing at least half its growth potential just for the sake of maintaining its Pan Africanist stance over Zimbabwe’s delinquency.”
Looking ahead Cross said for those who lived in Zimbabwe and wanted change “we ask ourselves: will it work this time?”.
He added: “I hope that [the ruling Zanu-PF] has confidence that it [the election] will … because only then will they allow the country to vote under reasonable conditions.”
“Given that freedom, even just for one day, we could be in for one of the biggest electoral shocks in recent African history — and with it the chance of a new beginning.”
The MDC led by former trade unionist Morgan Tsvangirai has suspended its participation in the March election. – I-Net Bridge