1 zimbabwe election support network [zesn] - Nehanda Radio
1 zimbabwe election support network [zesn] - Nehanda Radio
1 zimbabwe election support network [zesn] - Nehanda Radio
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liberation war was fought for. Relations between the government and UK, USA and<br />
organizations such as the Commonwealth and European Union also took a worse turn.<br />
However on a positive note, the era was witness to the adoption of the SADC Principles and<br />
Guidelines governing the conduct of democratic <strong>election</strong>s in 2004, although compliance with<br />
these Guidelines has remained a major electoral challenge in Zimbabwe. The period also<br />
witnessed the re-introduction of the Upper House [Senate], a development which however<br />
resulted in a split in the MDC into MDC T and MDC over whether or not to participate in Senate<br />
<strong>election</strong>s, with the former being anti-Senate while the latter was pro-Senate.<br />
The Post 2005 Election<br />
The 2008 Elections were conducted against a background of deep-rooted political and<br />
economic meltdown. On the economic front, Zimbabwe was grappling with its worst economic<br />
recession characterized by runaway inflation of over 1 million percent, acute basic commodity,<br />
drugs fuel, and foreign currency shortages, and flight of skilled manpower and power cuts.<br />
On the political front, the <strong>election</strong>s came at a time when all that has been tried to solve the<br />
Zimbabwean crisis through “smart” sanctions, SADC-brokered negotiations appeared to be<br />
floundering. The SADC-brokered talks between the two political parties mediated by the South<br />
African president Thabo Mbeki that had been going on and off since 2004 had reportedly<br />
reached a stalemate. South Africa’s policy of engagement or quite diplomacy was increasingly<br />
under threat, the South African president accused of treating ZANU PF with kid gloves. There<br />
was a growing feeling within the MDC, civic groups and some African Heads of States to view<br />
the Zimbabwe crisis as an African issue rather than a mere SADC issue. In October 2007,<br />
Senegalese President Wade had recommended a shift to multilateral mediation by African<br />
Heads of State, arguing that Mbeki should not be the only one to handle the Zimbabwean<br />
crisis, a recommendation which was rejected by both Mbeki and Mugabe who argued that there<br />
should not be any other initiative other than the SADC one.<br />
There were also increasing calls for the two main political parties, ZANU PF and the MDC, to<br />
abandon their hard-line positions. ZANU PF as the ruling party was exhorted to realize that it<br />
needs the help of the MDC, all patriotic Zimbabweans and the international community to<br />
untangle itself from the political mess aground. They were called upon to involve elements from<br />
the ruling party, the two formations of the MDC, other opposition groups, civic society<br />
organizations, churches, labor unions, student movements and the business community. This<br />
“third way” initiative gained currency against growing realization that the two main contending<br />
factions, ZANU PF and MDC, were experiencing deep seated internal feuding that posed a<br />
threat to their political survival and their political will to hold on to on-going talks.<br />
Political Actors<br />
While the 29 March Harmonized Elections saw around eight political parties [ZANU PF, MDC<br />
T, MDC, Mavambo, UPP, FDU, PUMA, ZDP, and ZPPDP] and independents registering for<br />
<strong>election</strong>s, the contest was mainly between ZANU and the MDC T as the visibility of the other<br />
political parties remained on paper. However, the MDC as the main opposition <strong>election</strong><br />
contender was home to factional and leadership feuding. Allegations of political in-fights within<br />
MDC were vindicated when a simple issue of whether or not to participate in the senatorial<br />
<strong>election</strong>s of 2005 left the MDC split into an “anti-Senate” MDC Tsvangirai and a pro-Senate<br />
MDC Mutambara wing. Despite spirited calls to forge a re-union, MDC participated in the 29<br />
March 2008 Elections a divided house, a development that proved costly to both factions as<br />
ZANU PF was quick to capitalize on these divisions and captured some seats in what were<br />
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