The landmark ruling this week by the Constitutional Court restoring dual citizenship following an application by Mutumwa Mawere represents one of the several issues to write home about. The court ruled that dual citizenship is permissible under the new Constitution.
Report by Dr Clifford Chitupa
That the landmark ruling will have far reaching implications in Zimbabwe’s transformation would be an understatement. While for some people it will take time to sink, Zimbabweans in the diaspora lift their glasses bottoms up in celebration of a major blow against the Mugabe dictatorship.
Some people who find it difficult to understand why Mugabe earned the titles “dictator” or “tyrant”, will be reminded by the restoration of dual citizenship about the pain and suffering that the former liberator and freedom fighter inflicted on families by depriving them of their birthright for political expediency. The other excellent news to write home about is the restoration of citizenship for the so-called stateless Zimbabweans who were made “aliens” by the Citizenship Act of 2001.
Yet more good news to write home about is the grand opposition coalition of Zimbabwe, which is causing Zanu PF propagandists endless nightmares. There are no illusions about election coalitions because they are fraught with power struggles let alone damaging propaganda. Those in the MDC-T, MDC-N and Zapu who are reportedly expressing reservations about the grand coalition may be unaware of the immense opportunities and challenges of making sacrifices in the short-term to end Zimbabwe’s crisis.
Inevitably, there will be horse trading in any coalition. It would be a reversal of one form of patronage with another, but it would be self-deceptive to suggest that governments the world over would operate without those whom they trust.If Mugabe were to be swept from power in the next elections without the option of another GNU, the grand coalition’s partners could be appointed as ambassadors abroad to Zimbabwe’s over two dozen embassies abroad, as long as it would be on merit, not tribalism, racism or gender.
Some could also be appointed as permanent secretaries or as heads of departments and commissions including defence, internal security, state security, the media and so on.
Only through a grand opposition coalition to fight elections against Mugabe’s Zanu pf can there be hope of media reforms to replace director generals of parastatals including ZBC, New Ziana, The Herald and others that have been dominated by Zanu PF since Independence.
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As a result, Zanu-pf ‘s propagandists are lambasting Simba Makoni for showing practical support for the grand opposition coalition by withdrawing his presidential candidature to garner more support for the new movement.
Indications are that the succession debate has been revived in the wake of Robert Mugabe’s upteenth visit to Singapore in three years for what is officially an eye check.
With an 89-year-old presidential candidate, there are fears of another “bhora musango” a euphemism for protest vote by Zanu PF supporters voting for the opposition in harmonised elections following chaotic primaries.
Amid fights, demonstrations, accusations and counter accusations even among spouses and former marital partners, Zanu PF primaries tend to resemble more of a circus than democracy for the anachronistic Soviet-styled party.
An observable electoral malpractice that the public is being gradually made to accept ahead of national elections is, the politicisation of ZRP officers seen carrying Zanu PF primary elections materials.
Of course, MDC-T still has to resolve outstanding challenges to some of its primary election results.
There seems to be no convincing evidence why Grace Kwinjeh should not stand as a candidate.
After a long time, we had something to write home about.
