1] ZEC shenanigans & ZanuPF's electro-phobia, as we edge towards March by-elections & indeed 2023 shouldn't be viewed in isolation.
For instance, ZEC was fully aware of by-elections dates & being a creation of the constitution, ought to have done more to entrench our democracy.
2] Last year, ZEC shared its "draft electoral road map" for by-elections.
It became imperative on them, to act swiftly in preparation of the same.
All over the country, (more so in the affected constituencies), ZEC should have ran a vigorous voter education/registration drive.
3] Now, after frustrating possible voters (in direct response to voter registration campaigns by CSOs), ZEC is happy to announce that registration is now on halt.
So many possible voters are being disenfranchised as a direct consequence of ZEC's deliberate incompetence.
4] The implications of the communication above, is that noone can register now, and be able to vote in those vacant seats.
This law may need debate, but that's a different topic.
The concern remains that, it's ZEC's sole legal responsibility to register voters, & they are not.
5] Whilst ZEC has been expressing deliberate incompetence,& even cooking up reg figures, @ProjectVote263 has stepped up big time
Unsurprisingly, ZEC has reacted by producing a list of "accredited CSOs to be involved in voter education",& @ProjectVote263 is conspicuously omitted.
6] To have a clearer appreciation of the politics at play, one needs to check the regime's attitude towards @ProjectVote263
In vintage ZanuPF style, they had already used their propaganda machinery last year, to attack the CSO & perhaps generate justifications for their plots.
Those claiming nothing is being done to drive the voter mobilization drive are either lying or have been lied to.
There's no need to look any further, than efforts from @ProjectVote263
& ZanuPF's subsequent reaction.
8] @ProjectVote263 should be supported in disregarding illegal political manoeuvres to frustrate their activities
Visiting their platforms shows that they're communicating ZEC approved voter registration/education material.
Attempts to blacklist them are reactionary & political
9] Ultimately, what's being communicated here is ZECs capture, & ZanuPF's fear of elections, especially votes from first time voters
This is quite exposing for a gov that claims to have stabilised the economy, rehabilitated our infrastructure, created jobs, among many other lies
10] It however remains critical that CSOs & the Opp continue bridging the gap deliberately created by ZEC.
The voters roll clearly requires so much attention.
More so at a time when ZanuPF is desperate to protect their Supreme Court creation, MDC-T, come March & beyond 2023.
11] Another key issue is that voting works & ZanuPF knows they & their unpopular leader haven't delivered, regardless of propaganda.
1. Admittedly, when I first read the "structured currency" headline, I thought the Harare regime was taking its "structures" propaganda too far.
With the benefit of more research on the topic, I'm now totally convinced the Harare regime is indeed taking its propaganda too far.
2. By definition, a structured currency is "structured" in that it's supposedly backed by both mineral reserves (in our case gold) and trust in government's monetory policies & regulations.
Unfortunately, no one believes any of the two are present in our existing circumstances.
3. Part of why all previous gimmicks have failed is a trust deficit.
Even if the government opts to accuse commentators of being alarmists, causing panick and despondency, no one can be faulted for rushing to withdraw their forex savings if we have learned anything from history.
1. Imagine trying to make sense of how some 4 gentlemen in Bulawayo can randomly claim, 'we have recalled Amos Chibaya, he has ceased being a member of CCC'.
Outside the influence of social media, many only know about #CCC because of the efforts of this indefatigable organizer.
2. Propaganda has to make some sort of sense.
Even where some decide to hide behind the claim of "a traceable history in the struggle," Chibaya would make the mark.
A devoted organizer during the times of Tsvangirai & even more so, during the times of Chamisa under the MDC-A.
3. For the successive elections between 2018-2023, it's a mystery how Chibaya found the passion to abandon the comfort of his home and the herculean energy to traverse the country, organizing the Opp for electoral triumph.
Chibaya is very much unheralded & doesn't seem to care.
1. So, a group of at least 25 individuals have decided to join nonexistent forces under the otherwise much heralded #NERA banner to push for electoral reforms.
It's difficult to even identify them as political leaders because they don't represent any political constituency.
2. If you review the outcome of the controversial 2023 election, these people combined had fewer votes than the Councilors who won your ward election.
Many of them have never even bothered to field candidates in successive elections but only pop up whenever they sense a need.
3. If you were to profile them, there is one Lucia Matibenga, masquerading as PDP President.
Her "party" never contests.
She only temporarily enjoyed limelight under PDP when Sen Mwonzora brought her as his MDC-A partner before they connived to recall MPs elected under Chamisa.
1. Interesting comment on this unfolding drama by Prof Ncube.
I, however, can't help recognize the continued conflation of politics & law, which I've previously written about, regarding the formation of CCC party from MDC-A.
It's quite strange that BaNcube does the same here.
2. I take notice of @Welshman_Ncube choice of words here.
He says: MDC-A party's "...National Council resolved to reconstitute itself as CCC..."
By definition, when you "reconstitute," you simply restore or build up again, using remaining parts of whatever has been destroyed.
@Welshman_Ncube 3. However, it was a legal nulity not only for MDC-A to 'reconstitute' itself but to even meet & make legally binding resolutions to begin with.
In 2020, Justice Chitapi ruled that the MDC-A party wasn't a legal persona, effectively meaning it wasn't a legally constituted party.
1. We need to accept that we've seen enough to conclude we've no justice system in Zimbabwe.
Perhaps it's time to totally (temporarily) abandon seeking judicial recourse, particularly around political issues
Why continue subjecting ourselves to the wig wearing ZanuPF activists!
2. Let me rationalize this personal view:
Firstly, we are simply patronizing the generality of the citizens by arguing that going to these "captured courts" is an important academic exercise that exposes judicial capture.
What has been the consequence of exposing this capture?
3. ZanuPF's reaction to the damning SADC Observer Mission report is evidence enough that they don't react to "embarrassment" by showing restraint.
ZanuPF chose rather to burn SADC through an unprecedented propaganda offensive and direct confrontation with the Zambia government.