I must quickly make a disclaimer. I am not a member of ZANU (PF) and I doubt that I will ever be. I say so because I have never found its value system appealing to me. I am forever grateful for its contribution to liberating our country from colonial bondage but that is as far as it goes. Post-independence, I think that the party of revolution failed to transform itself into a modern day political party with a sustainable vision for a better Zimbabwe. That said I must say I feel compelled to raise the following few points as an observant Zimbabwean citizen.
I raise these points because as a patriotic citizen that espouses democratic values I think that ZANU (PF) is an important institution. Not in its present state though. I am a firm believer in multi-party democracy and I argue that if Zimbabwe is to become a stable democracy; ZANU (PF) must re-invent itself to become a credible and viable opposition party that can challenge and reclaim political space from the MDC in the future. I fear that giving the MDC a blank check of uncontested political supremacy will turn that party into another ZANU (PF). It is a fact of life that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
As the party holds its annual conference in Bulawayo I seriously doubt that it will come up with anything positive for Zimbabwe. The party has once again squandered an opportunity for serious self-introspection especially on the issue of its future leadership. I say so because as I write the party provincial congresses are already falling over each other to endorse Mugabe as their candidate for the next presidential election. Yet there is unanimous agreement among the party stalwarts that Mugabe has become a liability that will not deliver an electoral victory, if what we read in the Wikileaks cables is true.
What is sad is that the conference comes at a time when the former ruling party is confronted by a plethora of challenges that seem insurmountable to it. The obvious one is that it has lost its decades-long stranglehold on power and that it risks losing the next elections if they are held under conditions of free and fair competition. Decades of corruption, economic mismanagement, violent suppression of dissent and downright arrogance have left Zimbabweans disenchanted by ZANU (PF)’s rule. The loss of the 2008 elections to the MDC attests to this. The truth of the matter is that in its present state ZANU (PF) is incapable of legitimately mounting a serious electoral campaign that will sway popular support from Morgan Tsvangirai and the MDC. As the party deliberates on its future, it must therefore face certain realities. They may seem unpalatable but they are crucial to saving the party from permanently disappearing from the Zimbabwean political landscape.
The first poignant fact that ZANU (PF) must accept is that in its present state it is incapable of winning a legitimate election. The party must therefore start seriously thinking about handing over power to a legitimate government that will most likely be headed by Morgan Tsvangirai, with a few members of the executive drawn from moderate elements from its own ranks. Mugabe must avoid digging for himself what Masipula Sithole calls a ‘dishonourable grave’ by reigning in the civilian and security cabal that is opposed to the transfer of power in Zimbabwe. He must also ensure that the election is free from violence and intimidation. That way he can retire with some modicum of dignity and honour. ZANU (PF) must then accept its place as the official opposition and use that opportunity to re-invent itself if it is to remain relevant.
Let us face it; at nearly 88 Mugabe is too old and frail to lead the party. If we are to believe revelations from the Wikileaks cables he is also very sick. His repeated sojourns to the Far East in recent months have heightened suspicion that his health is failing him. The logical thing for him to do is to retire after losing the next election. ZANU (PF) must then follow internal party democratic processes of selecting a younger successor to Mugabe. It has to find a moderate who will lead the party’s re-invention as it seeks to regain its foothold on Zimbabwean politics.
In choosing such a leader the party must find a balance between maintaining its historical legacy as a liberation movement and transforming itself into a modern day, marketable political brand that finds resonance with young generations that may be too busy updating their Facebook profiles to care about the age at which Mbuya Nehanda was hanged by the colonial regime. The party must also shun the demagogic characters that are desperately pushing a vague ‘Generation 40’ campaign. These characters have exhibited opportunistic and parasitic tendencies that will be inimical to the party’s re-invention. The process of selecting Mugabe’s successor must strictly be guided by national interest rather than factional considerations.
The next step is for the party to re-brand itself as a non-violent revolutionary party with tenets of a democratic tradition. It must shed off the ‘bad guy’ image by disbanding the ‘rag tag’ outfits in its ranks. It must package its ideology in such a way that it exudes its revolutionary appeal while at the same time projecting a vision for a modern day Zimbabwe. It must revamp its empowerment brand of politics from a predatory elite patronage system to a genuine empowerment drive that is enterprise driven. Rule of law and respect for property rights must underpin its empowerment policies. It must demonstrate unflinching adherence to a culture of human rights.
My advice to ZANU (PF) is motivated by a recognition that there is a realistic chance that after serving for a term or two the MDC might lose its mass appeal. My fear is that it has overpromised to the point where it has generated unrealistic expectations by the electorate. After five years in power people will start to ask the MDC some difficult questions about unfulfilled promises. Moreover, there will not be an anti-Mugabe vote to bank on. Whoever takes over from Mugabe stands a good chance of mounting a serious challenge to Tsvangirai when he seeks a second term as President. After Tsvangirai has done his two terms, the opposition leader from ZANU (PF) even stands a better chance of defeating whoever will have succeeded Tsvangirai as leader of the MDC.
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