A strong opposition key for democracy

The ructions in the two-year-old Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) are a fresh setback in opposition politics, a key ingredient of democracy. CCC’s poster boy Nelson Chamisa last week announced that he was quitting the party as it had been “contaminated, bastardised and hijacked by Zanu PF through the abuse of State institutions”. Several lawmakers have thrown their weight behind Chamisa and are prepared to quit Parliament and follow their change champion-in-chief.

The cleavages in CCC began last year when Sengezo Tshabangu installed himself as interim secretary-general. And, like a bull in a china shop, Tshabangu went on a spree, recalling lawmakers and councillors saying they had ceased to be members of the opposition political party.

Those recalled were barred from contesting in by-elections and in some cases, Tshabangu donated wards to Zanu PF after failing to field candidates.

CCC had, against all odds, prevented the well-resourced Zanu PF from attaining a two-thirds majority in the August 23 and 24 harmonised elections.

A two-thirds majority for Zanu PF is bad for Zimbabwe. Before the harmonised elections, Zanu PF had used its majority to ride roughshod over the nation, focusing on trivia such as amending the supreme law to accommodate parochial interests like the increase in the retirement age for senior judges instead of aligning laws to the Constitution.

There are fears that Zanu PF would use its soon to be acquired majority to remove the Presidential term limit or prescribe tough rules for political parties.

The ruling party’s hangers on have set the pace and are proposing a ban on political parties that are less than five years old in the 2028 harmonised elections.

The reckless recalls and the banning of some candidates in the byelections have led to voter apathy which favours the ruling Zanu PF party. In the December by-elections, Zanu PF won seven out of the nine contested seats in Parliament.

The biggest beneficiary in the CCC chaos is Zanu PF which will toast to a two-thirds majority. However, that will be a pyrrhic victory.

A strong opposition will keep the ruling party on its toes and ensure it makes better decisions and policies for the benefit of citizens.

The stability the economy enjoyed in the period 2009 to 2013 was due to a government of national unity which came after Zanu PF was forced to go to bed with strong MDC formations.

History has shown that when politics is bad, the economy becomes the biggest casualty. After the disputed 2008 elections, the economy was ravaged by shortages of basic commodities while the local currency was decimated by hyperinflation.

The 2008 scenario seems to have been replayed with the local currency suffering a sharp depreciation against major currencies such as the United States dollar.

This has fuelled a sharp rise in the prices of goods and services. The sharp depreciation of the local currency has quickened the redollarisation pace despite claims by authorities that the local currency is here to stay. Over 80% of transactions are being conducted in United States dollars.

The civil service which recently“thanked”the government for converting the US$300 allowance to a salary now wants it increased after it was taxed. It is pushing for a minimum salary of US$840 per month.

A strong opposition is required to keep in check government excesses and makes one perform better as there is an alternative.