Kwinjeh attacks MDC senate poll participation

Kwinjeh attacks MDC senate poll participation

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By Staff Reporter

ZIMBABWE'S opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) was battling simmering tensions within its ranks last night after its European Union representative and founder member, Grace Kwinjeh, backed the party's youth assembly which overwhelmingly rejected a decision to participate in Senatorial elections set for December.

Writing exclusively for New Zimbabwe.com, Kwinjeh said it was "demonstrably foolhardy" for the MDC to continue to participate in elections of any kind called by the ruling Zanu PF government.

"In my considered opinion, it is demonstrably foolhardy to defend the MDC’s continued presence in parliament as having anything to do with ‘defending democratic’ space. What democracy? What space? MDC’s Parliamentary presence only serves to endorse and legitimise an illegitimate regime," Kwinjeh said.

MDC secretary general, Welshman Ncube, said at the weekend that the party had resolved to participate in the senatorial elections after President Robert Mugabe's Zanu PF party voted to amend the constitution to allow the establishment of an Upper House.

The Senate will comprise 65 members with 50 members elected from the country’s 10 provinces -- representing five senators for each of the provinces. Eight chiefs will also be elected into the Senate by the Chiefs' Council while the president of the Chief’s Council and his deputy automatically become senators.

Ncube said: "There are fundamental differences between the March Parliamentary elections and the position we are in right now. It is very clear that the (MDC) national council lifted the suspension on election participation and that position has not changed. The operative resolution of the council is that we are in the elections."

Hours later, the party was rocked when its national youth chairman, Nelson Chamisa, said "there are no gains in participating".

Said Chamisa: "As youths, we have already resolved that there is no need to waste our time by being part and parcel of Mugabe's illegitimate process. This is a process we feel is only meant to accommodate Mugabe's lieutenants who failed to make it through other processes. So we are not going to contribute in constructing a warehouse for old politicians in the senate."

Kwinjeh's sharply critical remarks will add to the MDC's policy woes, with critics accusing the party of prevarication on several policy announcements and restricting consultation to within its powerful national council.

Kwinjeh -- who has been holding fort for the MDC at the European Union headquarters in Brussels for four years -- said the MDC could not announce participation in the senatorial and turn around to reject further constitutional amendments.

"When Zanu PF embarks on an unpopular constitutional agenda meant to further entrench its hold on power, and with the MDC partaking in that process, the MDC is as responsible as Zanu PF for the consequences of such actions.

"It may appear unfair to accuse the MDC of colluding with Zanu PF against the suffering masses, but the political reality is that a dictatorship is a dictatorship, supping with it even in an institution such as parliament makes the MDC guilty by default. Guilty of perpetuating Zanu PF’s evil agenda and its wanton rape of Zimbabwe’s resources," she said.

Kwinjeh, a journalist-turned politician, believes Zanu PF was "setting the pace of the revolution", and participating in the senate elections would assist the party in legitimising a flawed process.

She said: "The very bane of our lives has been about fighting for a democratic Zimbabwe. Freeing Zimbabwe from Zanu PF’s tyranny! Saying no to participation in the Senatorial elections is a critical part of this struggle.

"Every revolution has its casualties and the problem comes with wanting to minimise the cost of that revolution. This has never happened in history and is not likely to happen in Zimbabwe.

"We have to stand up now or risk being remembered as those men and women who were not there when Zimbabwe needed them most. We must resist Zanu PF’s resurgent attempts to dictate the pace of the revolution. No to the Senate elections! No to Zanu PF’s constitutional agenda."
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