For many years until about 1990 the ZANU PF led government in Zimbabwe had attempted to create a one party state. This plan essentially failed due to fierce resistance from the student movement at the University of Zimbabwe. From 1990 to 1998 before the emergence of Morgan Tsvangirai leading the MDC, Robert Mugabe had absolute powers of governance in Zimbabwe using a sophisticated yet effective patronage system.
Since 2000, the ZANU PF party has received a run for its money receiving a serious challenge at the national election. Many political analysts agree that the intensity of opposition to Robert Mugabe has deepened the political divide in Zimbabwe characterized by severe political violence around the time of election.
Today in Zimbabwean politics there are essentially two main political contenders. Professor Arthur Mutambara of the smaller MDC party has created some form of balancing act in the current inclusive government. However his party has little or no chance in an election against the party of Morgan Tsvangirai of the bigger MDC party.
Zimbabwe politics has for a long time been characterized by brutality towards opponents. Disappearances and false accusations are key tactics used by the government towards the opposition. The state controlled media such as The Herald and Zimbabwe TV are extensively used to miss-inform and deceive the general public. To this day it has been extremely difficult for independent private media companies to enter the fray. Licenses are never issued an the process painfully slow.
Politics in Zimbabwe essentially run and operate on a patronage system which is obviously more visible and pronounced in ZANU PF party. In reality patronage also exists even in opposition parties.
Parties in Zimbabwe receive funding from government. According to Zimbabwean law only the two biggest parties qualify for government support. Towards election time in Zimbabwe numerous political parties mushroom everywhere. Many of them fizzle out as soon as election time is over only to reappear again at next election. This has raised a lot of suspicion on the Zimbabwe political scene that the government of the day is behind the multiplicity of opposition parties to divide votes.
In Zimbabwe politics elections are done for the local government councilors, MPs, Senators and the President. Elections are held combined at the same time for these four offices. According to the current amended so called Lancaster Constitution ministers can not become ministers in government without being elected MP or senator or appointed by the president a senator.
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Poem(Jonathan Moyo)
ReplyDeletesome tallish fella, vandetta chirping on his shoulder, carried the brute's behest, with the stench of conscience's corpse his companion, he could have been greater things, but by choice and convoluted will became like the rest of them, a brute rapping innocence, an enemy of humanity.