I have been included on the MDC Alliance party list for the
Senate in Bulawayo Province. As many know I was very graciously and generously
offered a relatively safe National Assembly seat being Bulawayo East by the MDC
Alliance which I declined to take up. Now equally graciously I have been
included in the MDC Alliance’s party list for Bulawayo.
My reason for not taking up the National Assembly seat in
Bulawayo East was because both my family and my law partners were concerned
about such a move. In the 14 years I was in Parliament between 2000 and 2013
both my family and law firm suffered from me not being around as a husband,
father and senior partner respectively. Although a Senatorial seat is taxing,
it does not hold the same demands as a National Assembly seat, in which some
30,000 constituents look to their MPs far more than they do Senators. In short
it was felt that I could better play my role as a husband, father and senior
partner as a Senator.
Senators are elected by means of proportional
representation based on votes cast in the National Assembly elections. There
are 6 seats on offer in every Province and the higher up the list one is, the
greater the chance of being elected. Conversely the lower down the list one is
the less the chance of being elected. There is a further issue regarding the
party list: to ensure gender equity, positions 1, 3 and 5 are reserved for
females, with positions 2, 4 and 6 for males. One of the other understandings
with my family in particular was that if my name appeared on the party list it
should be lower down the list. The thinking behind this was that it was
important to demonstrate solidarity with my colleagues in the MDC Alliance by
standing but that we should leave the decision as to whether I should be
elected to the good Lord. This is not meant to sound pious in any way – it is
just so that if I was at the top of the list it would be rather like the
Bulawayo East National Assembly seat – i.e. relatively easy to get elected.
This way – ie making it hard – will convince us all that this is something our
good Lord has in mind, not me manipulating my way back into Parliament.
So I am at the bottom of the list – number 6. This means
that I will only be elected to the Senate if the MDC Alliance literally scores
a landslide victory in Bulawayo. Given the massive contestation now underway
that prospect is unlikely. Even though I am confident that the MDC Alliance
will sweep all the National Assembly seats in Bulawayo it is unlikely we will
secure the percentage of votes needed to secure all 6 Senatorial seats on
offer.
I am comfortable with this and my family and law partners
are happy with the compromise. I do hope however that the citizens of Bulawayo
will give massive support to all MDC Alliance National Assembly candidates,
which will be the only way to make the unlikely happen, namely my election to
the Senate.
God bless you all.
Senator David Coltart
Bulawayo
15th June 2018
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