From: barnhart@gagme.chi.il.us (Mr Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS: ZIMBABWE: OPPOSITION FAILS TO PRESE
Originator: barnhart@gagme
Organization: Evanston, Illinois
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 01:18:11 GMT

Area: Europe, western
Title: ZIMBABWE: OPPOSITION FAILS TO PRESENT CREDIBLE ALTERNATIVE


an inter press service feature

by andrew zhakata

harare, sep 2 (ips) -- while popularity for zimbabwe's ruling
party, zanu-(pf), is generally considered to be on the wane, it
appears the electorate has not found a viable alternative.

''it is an open secret most zimbabweans are fed up with
zanu-(pf) and are yearning for a new party but there is no
credible alternative yet'', says brian raftopolous, a
harare-based political observer.

it is argued that zimbabwe's seven small opposition parties
need to radically change their approach. according to
raftopolous of the zimbabwe institute of development studies,
the opposition lacks an alternative agenda, the parties being
based on personalities rather than policies.

zanu-pf came to power in 1980, after more than a decade-long
liberation struggle, and currently holds all but three of the
150 parliamentary seats.

rigid and dogmatic, the government had since 1987 been
pushing for the introduction of a one-party state, vigorously
opposed by the majority of zimbabweans, including zanu-(pf)
members and senior ministers.

over a decade of stifling rule, mugabe's government has been
rocked by allegations of corruption, nepotism and economic
mismanagement.

but it was the introduction of a tough donor-backed economic
reform programme in 1991 that has made the largest dent in the
government's popularity. structural adjustment has meant
hardship for zimbabwe's 10.8 million people, already reeling
under the effects of the worst drought this century.

this ordinarily would be politically-fertile ground for the
opposition. but while there has been a proliferation of parties,
most are off-shoots of zanu-pf -- chips off the same ideological
block -- and led by politicians whose political reputation has
been recently tarnished by association with the former rebel
rhodesian prime minister, ian smith.

four parties have joined smith in an opposition alliance. it
is a move of desperation, regarded as the height of insult by
the majority of zimbabweans for whom the memory of the
liberation struggle remains fresh. (more/ips)


zimbabwe: opposition (2)

''there was so much bloodshed caused by the war so why do we
have to go back to him (smith) when he has nothing to offer?''
queries alois masepe, interim chair of the forum for democratic
reform.

dr jonathan moyo, a political science lecturer at the
university of zimbabwe, maintains ''the opposition is only good
at talking. it is urban biased and tends to neglect the rural
people. above all, the opposition lacks a coherent direction,
tact, set policies and true sense of purpose''.

''these opposition parties are confused. they have nothing new
to offer. so most of us would rather stay with the devil we
know'', reginald mangena, a peasant farmer in eastern manicaland
province told ips.

zanu-pf also holds a trump card. it has brought development
to the countryside where 70 percent of the electorate lives.

while its economic shortcomings are criticised, the provision
of schools, hospitals, and rural electrification is regarded by
the local population -- encouraged by party officials -- as the
direct benefits of zanu-pf's rule.

''zanu-pf is not a political party, it's a liberation
movement masquerading as a political party'', claims masepe.

in 1989, a year after the signing of the unity accord between
zanu-(pf) and chief rival joshua nkomo's pf-zapu, edgar tekere,
expelled secretary-general of the ruling party, posed the first
real threat to mugabe's government with the formation of his
zimbabwe unity movement (zum).

although zum won two seats in the 1990 parliarmentary
elections -- marred by accusations of voter intimidation --
tekere failed to make serious headway in constituencies outside
his manicaland province.

with the return of ndabaningi sithole, deposed president of
zanu, from an eight-year self-imposed exile in america in
january, the political pace began to quicken. however, sithole
was one of those who joined smith in the ill-starred opposition
alliance in july.

raftopolous maintains that a viable alternative will emerge
from zanu-(pf) itself. according to raftopolous, zanu-(pf) is
currently riddled with disagreements which could result in a
split into regional groups mainly of zezuru, karanga, ndebele
and manyika, within the shona, the dominant ethnic group.

dr tichaendepi masaya, zanu-(pf)'s political commissar who
is also minister of finance, argues that the opposition lacks
the intellectual ability to tackle the country's problems.

but sithole accuses the government of intimidation, and
a denial of access to the media to get his message across. the
question is whether, at the moment, zimbabweans want to listen.
(end/ips/az/oa/92)


-- 
Mr. Aaron Barnhart@gagme.chi.il.us -- posting from Evanston, Illinois