Mutumwa Mawere

    Lovemore Madhuku

Madhuku presumably on behalf of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) has attempted to justify in an article entitled:"Makoni hijacking the struggle" why Makoni poses a more significant risk to the change agenda than the removal of Mugabe.

While accepting that in the current Zimbabwean constitutional order there is nothing to disable Makoni like Tsvangirai from participating as Presidential candidates, he makes the case that Makoni should not benefit from the same constitution that allows Mugabe and Tsvangirai to enter the race as individuals seeking a direct mandate from the people of Zimbabwe.

The construction of Madhuku's argument raises a number of troubling questions about not only the agenda of the NCA but about his understanding of the existing constitution as it relates to the office of the President and the basis on which such a person is legally created.

The hypothesis presented by Madhuku is that the change agenda is about ending the dictatorship of an ill-defined ZANU-PF regime by ushering what he describes as a "genuinely democratic dispensation". To the extent that Makoni is historically associated with ZANU-PF he then argues that he is a fake and anyone who dares support him is necessarily an enemy of change.

It surprising that Madhuku's construction of the change agenda resonates with Mugabe's own construction in so far as the participation of Makoni in the race. They both believe that any credible Presidential candidate has to be pre-qualified by a political party fully knowing that there is no constitutional impediment on Makoni running as an independent.

Madhuku rightly poses the question: how should civic society relate to the Makoni initiative? He chooses to call it an initiative and not an exercise of Makoni's constitutional right. He then raises the question whether it should be the business of civic society organisations to pronounce their preferences among contesting presidential aspirants?

What is evident from Madhuku's analysis is that he genuinely believes that his participation in the constitutional movement has uniquely endowed him with extra constitutional rights to know better what is in the national interest.

He makes the case like Mugabe that based on his superior values, beliefs and principles, Makoni's decision to participate as an independent Presidential candidate is fundamentally misconceived. He then proceeds to conclude that the so-called initiative has no grassroots support as if to suggest that the only way to become a President of Zimbabwe contrary to the provisions of the constitution is to seek an endorsement from civic society organisations (CSOs) who now have arrogated to themselves the rights ordinarily reserved for citizens in any constitutional democracy.

If Madhuku cannot respect the current bill of rights enshrined in the constitution of Zimbabwe then what are we to expect from the so-called people driven constitution that he has been advocating. Who are the people in Madhuku's world? Could it be the case that people like Makoni would be stripped of rights under his proposed new order?

A case is also made by Madhuku that the so-called Makoni initiative misunderstands the nature of the responses required to address Zimbabwean's deepening political crisis. It is not clear from Madhuku's analysis how and why Makoni's candidature alone will necessarily compromise what he describes as a fatally defective electoral process.

If the sole purpose of the election is to preserve the status quo, then why would Madhuku find it acceptable for Tsvangirai to participate and not Makoni and for that matter anyone else?

He then makes the conclusion that: "Elections under the current constitution cannot deliver change whatever the credentials of the contestants and however sophisticated their strategies. Until Zimbabweans put their energies together and push the current regime to embrace a genuine and people-driven reform process that leads to a democratic constitution, power will not change hands through a mere election. Participation in the elections on March 29 cannot be for the purpose of winning power. It can only be for any other good reasons."

Based on the above construction, he then argues that power will not change hands under the current constitution but finds it acceptable to urge people to go and vote not for change but only for a particular party and Presidential candidate.

While purporting to accept that the elections are a farce he makes the case that it does provide a platform for Zimbabweans to make a statement against the Mugabe regime's sins and sees it as a stepping stone to a new phase in the struggle for change.

In order to justify his political bias he strangely makes the case that the election must be a statement in support of a set of values, beliefs and principles, which guide his version of post-election struggle for change in Zimbabwe. While accepting that Tsvangirai's leadership may not be what Zimbabwe requires, he nevertheless concludes that to the extent that he symbolises the founding values of the movement he deserves support. Surprising he does not attempt to give Mugabe and Makoni the same benefit of the doubt.

Having gone to a great length to justify why Tsvangirai and not Makoni should be supported, Madhuku makes the case that a vote for either Morgan Tsvangirai or Simba Makoni can only be for other good reasons. He exposes his agenda in supporting Tsvangirai that this election will seal his fate opening a window for new leadership of the change agenda. In other words, Madhuku needs Tsvangirai to fail so that he can have new currency in the post election period.

There is nothing in Madhuku's analysis to suggest that he is motivated by a genuine desire for change or more fundamentally a new constitution rather it is evident that his kind of politics is about partisanship instead of principle and the past instead of the future.

It is remarkable that Madhuku has the audacity to make the argument that this election should be about the "No. 2 position" and not about removing President Mugabe from office. He concedes that the vote will not count but he nevertheless needs the election to justify a post election agenda that he strongly feels will be distorted by any force of reason emanating from Makoni's intervention. He appears to be making the case that Tsvangirai has been a reliable partner in the politics of confusion and endless bickering.

While one can appreciate the role the MDC has played over the last 8 years in breathing life into many non-state actors including the NCA, it is extremely irresponsible for Madhuku to attempt to recommend the continued suffering of the Zimbabwean people for what appears to be self serving reasons.

On Tsvangirai's viability as President of Zimbabwe, this is what Madhuku had to say: "Tsvangirai represents the route we have been following since 1997. He is, as a person, not the answer. He represents the answer and must be supported. A vote for Tsvangirai's presidential bid is a statement against a "reformed ZANU-PF" agenda. It is important that this statement be made against Simba Makoni and his group because their set of beliefs distorts our post-election agenda of a total assault against the system."

Madhuku appears to be preoccupied by the post election construction than by the prospect of the election yielding the kind of change Zimbabweans have been yearning for and deserve. It is evident that he is constructively working for Mugabe to win so that his broader agenda can have a new lease of life.

Instead of focusing on removing the stumbling block to Zimbabwean progress, Madhuku is now arguing that Mugabe is not the real problem but Makoni and Tsvangirai. He makes the case that Makoni is no naïve that he would enter a race whose outcome is genuinely predetermined. If anything, Makoni's participation has helped in confusing Mugabe to the extent that he does not seem to have a coherent message anymore.

The draft constitution presented an improvement but through the efforts of people like Madhuku it never saw the light of day. And now on the eve of a historic election, we find Madhuku again on the side of Mugabe arguing that chaos can replace the ballot as a change mechanism. If Zimbabweans were inclined to follow Madhuku's suicidal politics of using the so-called grassroots people to replace institutions of government then surely the last 8 years could have demonstrated otherwise.

Who will benefit from the post election economic and political trauma? It is important that Zimbabweans reflect on what is at stake on 29 March and proceed to constructively work to ensure this election be a decisive one. Surely, if Zimbabwe at the minimum has a new leader, that will mark a new chapter in the history of the country.

The country needs a new leader and the only constant thing since independence is President Mugabe and there can be no doubt that a new leader will open new possibilities for the country. It is never too late to convert Madhuku to a genuine democrat who can rise above personal interests. Zimbabwe is too important to be converted into a football that can be kicked around for political expediency.