by Prosperity Mzila
The Movement for Democratic Change Alliance (MDC A) and its cronies are making a lot of noise about the Constitutional Amendment Bill ahead of its debate before Parliament set for April. This is not the first time they have made noise on issues such as this, but this will eventually come to naught.
The nomination of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Committee and its Chairperson were jointly and consensually nominated by ZANU PF and the MDC A, yet when the MDC A lost the July 2018 Harmonised election they came out pointing fingers at ZANU PF accusing it of having planted its proxy within ZEC in the person of Justice Priscilla Chigumba, to skew the election result in their favour. Like a broken record, the MDC A is at it again blaming ZANU PF for taking advantage of its two thirds majority in the House of Parliament to amend the Constitution to ensure the smooth flow of Government business under its watch. The compilation of the Zimbabwe Constitution was lead and carried out by an able team of lawyers from ZANU PF, MDC T and MDC N under the Constitution Parliamentary Select Committee (COPAC). They crafted and compiled the Constitution but the proposed amendments do not benefit ZANU PF alone but the whole nation.
Talk that President Emmerson Mnangagwa seeks to amend the Constitution in order to consolidate his power should be rubbished with the contempt it deserves, because it does not hold water. If the Second Republic wishes to remove the running mate clause and revert to the old system, it means it has weighed the pros and cons that come with the running mate and found them unfavourable. Sticking to the running mate clause entails that President Mnangagwa chooses a person to run along with him in the 2023 election. The disadvantages of choosing a running mate outweigh the selection of vice presidents of choice after an election.
Having a running mate means President Mnangagwa is willing to bet his last dollar that the person would be supported by the people of his constituency, and not only that but also that the person will be able to balance the ticket geographically and ideologically. If President Mnangagwa chooses the wrong person to stand with him, this could jeopardise his vote come 2023. Zimbabwe has a very intricate political set up with its many ethnic groups and a quarter systems that seek representation within the country’s presidium. It therefore goes without question that President Mnangagwa is seeking a position whereby he does not have to pick a person randomly as a running mate, but rather consider his vice president in consideration with all the other factors.
In 1976 Ronald Regan was out rightly told to drop his running mate or lose the people’s vote. This meant he had to make a tough decision to either drop his running mate or lose an election. Your guess is as good as mine. In Nigeria they use the running mate system in order to balance the geographical set up where they match the Christians from the south and Muslims from the north. Bulgaria is another example where the presidential candidate chose women as his running mates in order to appeal to that constituency. However we have countries that do not subscribe to the running mate systems that have performed well in the affairs of their nations such as Botswana and Venezuela.
It only makes sense that President Emmerson Mnangagwa puts together a strong team that he can work with; Government requires all hands on deck in order to deliver in their mandate. The Second Republic determination to do away with the running mate clause, resonates with its ultimate goal of attaining an upper middle income economy by 2030. To deliver on that vision the President requires a team that works with one heartbeat.
The President’s capability to choose his own vice presidents and cabinet ministers to work with has never disappointed. It shows that his choices are made after a long and thoughtful scrutiny. This was evident when he presented a Cabinet he was to work with after his swearing in as 2nd President of the Republic of Zimbabwe. President Mnangagwa picked Ministers from every ethnic group, race, gender and demography. The Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture and Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce of Caucasian and Asian race, Honourable Kirsty Coventry and Honourable Rajeshkumar Modi respectively, Ndebele, Venda, Kalanga, Karanga, Manyika and Tonga are all represented within President Mnangagwa’s Government.
One will have no doubt that if he is empowered to choose his deputies President Mnangagwa will choose hard workers, contributors toward the good of the country, and most of all no group will feel segregated. The major thrust of this process is to ensure a well-oiled team that pulls in the same direction, weeding out chancers and opportunists. This country cannot be run by freeloaders, but by people who can deliver as required.
Going forward the MDC A should stop trying to agenda set using issues they have not seriously scrutinised. It is common knowledge that it has now lost relevance and is trying to dig itself out of a deep hole. Everyone knows that given a chance to earn a majority in Parliament, the likes of Tendai Biti and Nelson Chamisa among other sell-outs will be seeking to change the Constitution to their master’s set desire. Everyone knows fully well that the bone of contention between ZANU PF and the UK and her allies is the land question, and the MDC A is going to pay for the luxuries they are receiving from the western imperialist through the amendment of that clause; God forbid.
The MDC A is well too eager to please its masters and at the top of their list of priorities, if they ever come into power is to amend the Constitution to reverse the land acquisition clause. The devil has no free gifts everyone knows that the United Kingdom (UK) and allies are waiting eagerly for that rare, drop in the ocean chance that the MDC A might rule this country in order to amend the land clause. It is for this reason alone that come 2023 the people of Zimbabwe will be damned if they let the MDC A win the election.
