True, Zimbabwe needs to review electoral laws. After the sad electoral debacle of 2008 not many Zimbabweans would need convincing about that. But an electoral law – no matter how well crafted – cannot guarantee its own success. It cannot on its own deliver free and fair elections let alone guarantee a smooth transfer of power from loser to victor. Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa and Zanu (PF) know as we all do that the effectiveness of any law depends on the institutions of state charged or involved with the administration and implementation of that particular legislation.
Put differently, craft the best and most democratic electoral law on earth but thats no guarantee that the will of the people instead of the will of the JOC will stand come voting day. The current electoral law may not be the best in the world but it was good enough to ensure that Zimbabweans were able to express their will in March 2008. How to prevent the JOC from vetoing the will of the people as it did two years ago is the most urgent matter facing Zimbabwe today. And you do not need to write new voting laws to stop this unelected military committee from sabotaging the will of the people.
All that needs to be done is to disband the JOC followed by comprehensive reform and restructuring of the security forces to ensure that they, as is the case in progressive societies elsewhere, answer to elected civilian authority. Security sector reform is item number one on the agenda! The MDC formations must tell Chinamasa to put as many electoral law amendment bills on the table as he likes but only after the question of how to transform the security forces into truly national institutions at the service of the people and not individual political leaders has been resolved.
Post published in: Editor: Wilf Mbanga