Zimbabwe+election+of+sorts,+Editorial,+The+Zimbabwe+Guardian

=Zimbabwe’s election of sorts=


 * Editorial, The Zimbabwe Guardian, 17 February 2008**

The March 29 harmonised elections will be one of sorts. There are four presidential candidates confirmed, newcomers to both the presidential and parliamentary elections, and old politicians like Edgar Tekere are also trying to battle it out again.

For the first time in election history the ruling party has fielded two candidates in one constituency. MDC also has had more than one parliamentary candidate in more than one constituency. Not worrying by the look of it as each party feels that chances are higher if you have more candidates. It’s only worrying if you have more than one candidate in your stronghold.

If Zanu PF has two candidates in safe rural constituencies, the candidates will subdivide the vote and MDC might have a chance, if it fields one candidate. The reverse is also true. If MDC fields more than one candidate in a safe urban constituency, then they may lose to Zanu PF, if it fields one candidate in that same constituency. Not a clear-cut mathematical equation. In the urban areas Simba Makoni’s people might add a variable. Independent candidates, not Makoni’s people, might also add to the matrix.

Ibbo Mandaza is contesting under the Makoni banner in Mazowe West (House of Assembly) constituency. He will go head-to-head with Richard Chirongwe of Zanu-PF, Willard Chiwanza (MDC Mutambara) and Gilbert Kabodora (MDC Tsvangirai).

Political maverick Edgar Tekere ‘is back’; much the dead pan phrase ‘I’ll be back’ associated with Arnold Schwarzenegger's title character from the 1984 science fiction film The Terminator. Whether Tekere ‘drives a car through the front door and terminates his opponents’ in a Mutare Senatorial race against his former ZUM colleague Daniel Sithole, Esau Mupfumi of Zanu PF and Keresencia Chabuka of MDC (Tsvangirai) faction; remains to be seen.

Does anyone remember Levison Chikafu who formed a political party recently ─ the Liberal Democratic Party? He will battle it out with Zanu-PF Politburo member Didymus Mutasa. Last time we heard these two names mentioned in one breath was when Chikafu was prosecutor during Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa’s trial for obstruction of justice, involving Didymus Mutasa. How ironic!

Newcomer Mutambara will be contesting the Zengeza West (House of Assembly) constituency and we hear he is guns blazing; campaigning. He faces former trade unionist Collin Gwiyo, representing the MDC faction led by Tsvangirai and former war veterans’ leader Patrick Nyaruwata of Zanu PF. This will be an interesting one…

Zanu PF members who had lost primaries have opted to run as unofficial Zanu PF members. Their fate is not known if they win.

This is an election of sorts indeed. Whether it’s democracy at work or not remains to be seen.

What is true is that neither the MDC nor Zanu PF has a definite advantage; despite Chamisa’s claims that Zanu PF is mincemeat. Zanu PF could bring another shocker and make meatballs out of that mincemeat. There are no givens in politics.


 * From: http://www.talkzimbabwe.com/news/117/ARTICLE/1648/2008-02-17.html**

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