Devolution pathway to good governance

There are many issues which touch on everybody amongst the different political parties. The issue of presidential terms and powers is of much importance and also guarantees the continual existence of political parties.
If the political party and the country continue to be led by one person, it risks being unpopular. Look at countries like Botswana, South Africa and Mozambique; their ruling parties are still going strong because they change leaders.
In Botswana, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) is very popular because the late Bangwato, Paramount Chief Seretse Khama, left the leadership of the party and the country to Ketumire Masire who also left the leadership to Festus Mogae who, in turn, passed the button to Ian Khama.
I bet with my last dollar that the BDP will win this year’s general elections. Do you think if Masire was still the leader of BDP today, will it still be popular? Same applies to the African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa, which has changed three leaders within 15 years in power I can assure you that the ANC will continue ruling the roost.
The point is: as Zimbabweans, let’s advocate the reduction of presidential powers and presidential terms. It should not be seen as targeting an individual, no. It is very health for the country. Therefore the next president of the country should have limited powers and terms.
Parliament and the judiciary are the ones that should be empowered. The Constitution should at most be regulating the government not its citizens. We should decide how we want to be governed than government telling us how it wants to govern us.
There is this other issue of devolution of power. Each time one talks of devolution of power, he/she is perceived to be tribal. This is said because in most cases, this issue always comes from Matabeleland. It is an issue that needs people with sober minds.
There is this misconception that some people want to divide the country and create disunity and disharmony. Just for the record, devolution of power intends to promote regional development through enactment of locally based systems that empower communities to have a say on how they are governed.
I am simply saying each province should run its own affairs without any tribal or racial agenda. It is not about Shonas driving Ndebeles or any other tribe from Mashonaland, no. It is about empowerment of people in these regions whatever their languages of origin.
I don’t mind really the number of provinces we must create, whether eight, seven or six or even five — that’s not the issue. Let’s have elected provincial premiers and their cabinet from elected provincial legislators along the South African model.
I’m only worried about devolution of power to the provinces. This system also promotes stability in a country. For example, the Democratic Alliance of South Africa only won in one province in South Africa, the Western Cape, and are happy with that. Since they govern that province, they feel satisfied and being part and parcel of the Republic of South Africa. Lets stop being negative about this positive development.
The other issue I also want to raise is the issue of proportional representation. In South Africa’s elections, the ANC won almost everything and had they not been using proportional representation, the ANC would have at least won 350 of 400 seats in parliament and that would not augur well for democracy. Thanks to proportional representation they only got 264 seats.
Back home, my party, the MDC-M, got eight percent of the total national vote, but got a mere 10 seats in parliament. If we have been using proportional representation, we were supposed to have at least 17 seats.
MDC-T’s almost 47,8 percent was to give them about 101 seats and ZANU-PF’s about 43,5 percent was to give them about 92 seats. By saying this I’m not trying to promote selfish party politics, but simply explaining that no vote would be wasted or thrown away if we are to use this system — every vote counts.
In Nkulumane Constituency, for example, there are about 23 000 registered voters. If candidate A gets about 13 000 votes against candidate B’s 10 000 votes; candidate A wins and 10 000 votes for candidate B are thrown away and not considered important. Is it fair to these 10 000 people? Is it fair to candidate B’s party? The answer is a big no. If we use proportional representation, those 10 000 votes will give candidate B’s party a seat in parliament.
Most progressive countries around the world are now using this system of proportional representation. I know pretty well that selfish sitting Members of Parliament across the political divide are against this system because they want to selfishly safeguard their seats. That is being unprogressive.
This system also safeguards the parties’ top leadership from failing to go to parliament after losing in “difficult” constituencies and junior party members winning “in safe” constituencies and becoming big headed thinking they would be then more popular than their leaders. I also know that other people think this system promotes dictatorship and cronyism in political parties, but its better than this first-past-the-post system we are currently using.
Figure this, ZANU-PF Vice President Joseph Msika and his chairman, John Landa Nkomo, and women’s league chairperson Oppah Muchinguri and youth league chairman Absolom Sikhosana as tried, tested and trusted members of their party only go to parliament after being appointed as non-constituency MPs because ZANU-PF is unpopular in Bulawayo and Manicaland, yet ZANU-PF thinks they are amongst their top leadership and their cream.
Again Morgan Tsvangirai of MDC-T loses to Kenneth Manyonda in Buhera, yet Tsvangirai is the leader of the MDC-T. Professor Mutambara, the leader of MDC-M loses in Zengeza West because people in that constituency only vote for MDC-T, but Professor Mutambara is the president of his party and is trusted by his party as the leader. Same applies to Professor Welshman Ncube, Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga, MDC vice president Gibson Sibanda and Paul Themba Nyathi, etc.
The Parliament of Zimbabwe cannot lose the country’s good brains because of selfish tribal and political hate. All political parties need this proportional representation. Let’s not politicise it to score unwarranted political mileage.
Remember when Sikhanyiso Ndlovu lost in Mpopoma in 2000, people openly told him that the jacket he was wearing (ZANU-PF) lost the elections, not him. Imagine PF ZAPU winning some seats in Parliament, but its leader Dumiso Dabengwa losing — it’s unfair.
When using this system, we should have checks and balances to avoid cronyism and dictatorship. A new, independent electoral commission, would be mandated to hold and supervise primary elections for all political parties around the country including at provincial level.
Fellow Zimbabweans, I am calling each and every one of you, across the political divide, to advocate the devolution of power, proportional representation and limitation of presidential terms and powers.
The country’s future is in our hands and responsible leadership is the answer. Let’s rise above party politics and have a vision for our country. My Zimbabwe, my pride, our heritage!