Political parties (with less emphasis on Zanu (PF)), have invariably called for the active presence of election observers during the election season, but have hardly made the same plea when conducting their own internal polls. This is not only confusing, but plain dishonest, considering what we have witnessed in the recent primaries.
Observers are essential as agents that monitor and note the manner in which elections are held, as a way of promoting transparency, freeness and fairness of the processes. They are vital for the promotion of legitimacy around the mechanisms that lead to the choice of those that would have stood as candidates, but are also an invaluable source of lessons that should be considered for future similar processes.
The two MDCs and other political parties obviously converge on the need for the deployment of election observers ahead of this year’s general poll. They, together with civil society, have been making a lot of noise around this.
I totally agree with them. It is only those with skeletons in their cupboards who are afraid of observers. It is those who know they have put in place firm rigging arrangements who quake at the prospect of being scrutinised by observers.
However, reflecting on the manner in which MDC-T and Zanu (PF) conducted their primaries, I wonder if they have any legitimacy to call for the inclusion of observers in the coming harmonised plebiscite. My concern lingers more around MDC-T, as it has been very loud in its plea for the deployment of observers.
It would be hypocritical to pretend that the party has handled its primaries in a democratic manner. As I write, scores of potential candidates who lost out during the primaries are either threatening electoral sabotage or have declared their intention to run as independents. Quite a number are justified in feeling betrayed.
I am aware of several cases in which deserving candidates were elbowed out using all sorts of dirty tricks, as a way of entrenching the space of certain individuals in influential positions. In some cases, documents relating to the composition of party structures were tampered with, right at Harvest House.
That was done to give unfair advantage to candidates who are preferred by those that have the privilege to append their signatures to the papers and call the shots.
Those who superintended over the obvious fraud are, I have learnt, busy building power empires at the expense of popular expectations and interests. In other cases, there was brazen character assassination, with candidates of notable clout (and therefore a threat) being accused of all sorts of sins – from being CIO moles to thieves.
In yet other cases, ballots were stolen or stuffed, and the end result was that those the voters wanted did not make it. That was rigging.
The Zanu (PF) narrative is not different. Candidates were disqualified under all manner of lame excuses, so as to accommodate blue-eyed boys and blue-eyed grannies. Ballots were also tampered with and voters’ rolls were rigged.
In the case of Zanu (PF), of course, there is nothing dramatic about this. The party has been rigging elections since 1980. Tampering with voting processes has become the norm in the party. It gives some people a sense of achievement and pride.
So, on what pedestal is MDC-T going to stand to justify its call for observers? Its selective attitude boggles my mind. Why should observers be a noble idea only in higher elections, and not in party polls?
Why should cheating be acceptable internally and not externally? Legitimacy of polls should obtain at the primaries with the same vigour and prominence as at national elections. – For feedback, please write to majonitt@gmail.com
Post published in: Opinions & Analysis