This comes as President Mnangagwa recently hinted that the
by-elections, which have been necessitated largely by internecine wars in the
opposition, could be held next year.
However, instead of warming up to the impending polls, the
MDC-A is now threatening to boycott the polls in a somersault move that
political observers say contradicts their earlier stance that the ruling party
Zanu PF was using the Covid-19 pandemic to postpone the by-elections
indefinitely.
Altogether there are 133 elective by-elections for both
National Assembly and the Local Authorities most of which arose when the
Supreme Court ruled that Mr Chamisa was not the legitimate leader of the
opposition.
The ruling triggered a mass culling of his loyalists by the
rival faction led by Mr Douglas Mwonzora, which now calls the shots in
Parliament.
Yesterday, Zanu PF acting Secretary for Information and
Publicity Dr Mike Bimha said the revolutionary party is geared for the
by-elections and will use them as a dry run ahead of 2023 harmonised elections
regardless of attempts by the opposition to cast aspersions in the process.
“Zanu PF is geared to participate in any election since it
is our democratic right. We went to war to exercise our rights, so we can’t
afford to lose sleep because some people choose to boycott the elections,” he
said.
Political analyst Mr Gibson Nyikadzino said the
flip-flopping in the MDC demonstrates a party that is not only confused but is
also fearful of the outcome of the by-elections, an outcome which would
demonstrate their shrinking support base.
“The upcoming by-elections are based and informed on the
science of vaccine uptake, the improved numbers, and the recommendations by WHO
that Zimbabwe is well ahead of other countries. So out of these, the MDC of
Chamisa is already trying to seek a pretext that elections won’t be free and
fair even at a preparatory stage to cover for their weaknesses and
unpreparedness. This is not new.
“It is their trick they have employed before but without
success. Remember they did the same after 2017 when they said we need a
transitional government. The same happened in 2013 when they said the nation
wasn’t ready. But the constitutionality and legality that comes with the
holding of by-elections do not stop because the MDC of Chamisa has pressed a
panic button on the rhetoric of electoral reforms.
“The opposition since time immemorial has lived with a
phantom picture that they are formidable, yet they are irrelevant. They know
they cannot stand the organisation and competence of Zanu PF. They have
legislators in Parliament who are not contributing to that debate on electoral
reforms, they denounced the POLAD platform for engagement which is an opportunity
for political leaders to deliberate on issues that need attention. Remember,
they are also not ready because of their squabbles with Mwonzora’s MDC-T about
their names. So the reality is they have shot themselves in the foot. They
should know there is no second place in politics,” said Mr Nyikadzino.
Academic and researcher Mr Alex Manyonga weighed in saying
he expected the MDC-A to be excited by the prospect of by-elections as that is
what they have always been clamouring for.
There was a plenitude of discontent in opposition
formations especially the MDC Alliance when all electoral activities were muted
in the wake of a nauseating enemy in the face of Covid-19. Such a Government
position triggered agitating voices from the opposition, mainly MDC Alliance.
The Second Republic was branded a political coward, hiding
behind Covid-19 to starve the opposition of a chance to regain the seats for
the recalled members. Now that Covid 19 viciousness has subsided and the window
for the clamoured for by-elections have been, opened all political formations
are expected to cheer up and brace for the political race.
“Surprisingly, the MDC Alliance formation led by Nelson
Chamisa is planning a by-election boycott. It needs to be noted that the
purported dark cloud of Covid-19 that was accused of hovering over the
conducting of by-elections has cleared. As such, it is now time for different
political formations to test their political menthol ahead of the 2023
harmonised elections.
“The decision by the opposition formation to boycott the
elections, therefore, bears testimony of elections phobia in the opposition
camp. The anthem during the hostile Covid-19 times was that President Mnangagwa
was afraid of by-elections. However, the intended boycott affirms that the reverse
is the case. It points to the fact that the opposition formations are afraid to
expose themselves. A boycott will be testimony that the socio-economic
developments across the country as spearheaded by the Second Republic might
have scared the opposition who fear being humiliated. In political circles, no
one can strategise for an adversary. As such a boycott by the MDC Alliance will
be a plus on the party of Zanu PF and other competing parties. At the same
time, it will be a political own goal on the part of the opposition,” he said.
Pointing to the MDC-A previous stance in 2018 that ‘winners
don’t quit’ and that ‘we can’t boycott our victory’, Mr Munyonga said if the
MDC A boycotts the polls it will be a sign that things have fallen apart in the
opposition despite the feigned bravado. Herald
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