Last week, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) took the toughest decision we’ve ever had to in our five-year history: the national council voted to lift the suspension on participating in elections and entered the race under protest. Making tough choices is part and parcel of politics, but it did not come without soul-searching.
On August 25 last year we suspended participation in the elections pending the Zimbabwe government’s full compliance with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Guidelines and Principles Governing Democratic Elections.
At the time, the MDC retained a degree of optimism that President Mugabe would act in the interests of Zimbabwe and the SADC region, and that he would honour the undertakings he had given to other regional leaders to bring Zimbabwe’s electoral framework and political environment in line with what is expected under the new SADC standards. Regrettably, our optimism proved unfounded.
The government remains uninterested in extending to Zimbabweans the rights and freedom enjoyed by our brothers and sisters across the SADC region. The reforms that have been introduced are cosmetic and self-serving, and fail to properly address the democratic deficits that preclude a free and fair election from taking place. This made boycotting the elections a compelling option for the MDC leadership.
But since last August, the MDC leadership has traveled to every corner of Zimbabwe, engaging our structures and civil society organisations on whether to participate in the March election. Under the toughest conditions, we held district assemblies in each of Zimbabwe’s 120 districts and provincial assemblies in all 12 provinces. Each district and each province was asked to submit resolutions confirming their respective positions. The resolutions that were submitted were overwhelmingly in favour of participation.
The businessmen we spoke to in Masvingo, the unemployed youth we spoke to in Chipinge, the factory workers we spoke to in Harare and the ex-farm workers we spoke to in rural parts of Manicaland all expressed their desire to exercise their right to vote, regardless of the negative democratic conditions on the ground.
Among our working-class support base the determination to see the implementation of Restart, the MDC’s economic policy agenda for job creation and sustainable economic recovery, appeared to strengthen their resolve to participate in the elections.
The manner in which the decision to participate in the elections was made is indicative of the subordination of the MDC leadership to the internal democratic processes of the party when it comes to decision-making.
It also reflects the unity of purpose that binds the MDC and which has enabled it to overcome everything which has been thrown at it by Zanu-PF over the past five years.
Contrary to the accusations of our critics, both inside and outside the country, this unity of purpose is not based solely on the objective of replacing the current government. The MDC evolved out of civil society, in particular the labour movement, and was formed in direct response to the failure of the government to address pressing socio-economic grievances. We are not only an opposition party; we have a set of policy proposals awaiting implementation.
The political and socio-economic context in which the MDC was born means the party is very much a “broad church”, consisting of a wide range of constituencies ranging from labour, youth and women to business.
There is a perception that the MDC’s diversity is its “Achilles heel”, paralysing efforts to formulate a common programme. Nothing could be further from the truth. The various constituencies that make up the MDC have a collective desire to build a new Zimbabwe based on the social democratic values of solidarity, social justice, freedom, democracy, equity and equality.
The forthcoming elections offer a glimmer of hope for change. We will, however, remain vigilant of the ruling party’s capacity for electoral malpractice. If conditions on the ground deteriorate, extinguishing all glimmer of hope, we have reserved the right to take corrective measures.
Professor Welshman Ncube is the secretary general of the MDC