Opposition Welcomes ZEC’s Push for Political Party Registration: A Path to Accountability or Control?

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has recommended that political parties be legally registered by amending the Electoral Act, which has sparked a wave of conflicting responses. This suggestion may serve as a control mechanism or the essential instrument to manage party leadership conflicts in a politically fractious environment.

Zimbabwe’s evolving electoral framework gains another dimension with ZEC’s proposal to formalise political entity registration; opposition figures are cautiously hopeful about the possible benefits.

As things stand, political parties don’t even need to register formally—they just have to notify the ZEC that they exist. Confusion and arguments have long been stoked by this, particularly among the shattered opposition groups. Utloile Silaigwana, Chief Elections Officer for ZEC, stressed that the suggestion originated from contemplations made during the most recent review conference for the elections in 2023.

This yearly conference, which takes place in Nyanga, brings stakeholders together to review what went well and poorly in the previous election cycle, thereby focussing attention on enhancing Zimbabwe’s electoral system for 2028.

It has never been popular to argue that political parties should be regulated. Silaigwana’s comments, however, imply that official registration can improve openness by offering a methodical means of resolving conflicts, particularly inside opposition groupings.

Promise Mkwananzi, a spokesman for one of the three groups inside the CCC, repeated this idea. He claimed that internal conflict, like as disputes among opposition leaders, might be resolved by formally registering parties. This is especially important given reports of ZANU-PF agents interfering with opposition matters.

According to Mkwananzi, this reform might guarantee accountability. The registration process could shield Chamisa’s party from outsider intervention, giving the rightful leader control over finances and candidates who run under the party’s banner.

However, his backing is predicated on the idea that the system shouldn’t be used as a tool of repression that poses as reform. He claims that their concern stems from the possibility that the law may be abused to impose restrictions on internal party policies or leadership, which would actually work to stifle multiparty democracy rather than promote it.

The MDC leader Douglas Mwonzora’s spokesman, Lloyd Damba, did not voice any opposition to the idea of political party registration. Drawing on analogous cases from throughout Africa, especially Kenya, he believes there is value in formalising political systems.

Yet, he adds that ZEC must scrupulously adhere to its constitutional mandate and avoid extending its influence into areas beyond its authority. Damba’s stance underlines the fundamental worry that, although registration can facilitate party governance, it might also be used by powerful people to further their own agendas.

Given Zimbabwe’s politically sensitive climate, opposition parties are navigating a challenging landscape where every proposed modification to the electoral laws is closely scrutinised. The proposal to codify registration must ensure that it encourages genuine democracy rather than providing additional opportunities for political manipulation.

Opposition leaders like Mkwananzi and Damba are not concerned about whether registration is required; rather, they want to know if it will be applied in a fair and transparent manner that doesn’t give those in power an unfair advantage in power.

Silaigwana’s appeal for the country to get past the 2023 scandals serves as a reminder that elections are cyclical and that changes are a long-term endeavour as the country prepares for the 2028 elections. The ZEC is unwavering in its conviction that the complaints regarding the 2023 elections ought to be directed through the proper parliamentary and judicial channels.

It’s true that there is still mistrust towards the commission, particularly among opposition parties who perceive it as being associated with the ruling party, even though this may sound like an appeal to institutional order.

Whether or not ZEC’s recommendation becomes legislation, what remains obvious is that Zimbabwe’s political landscape continues to be one of deep conflict, where any new rule is analysed for potential ulterior motivations.The ongoing dispute over how to preserve party autonomy while guaranteeing accountability will surely influence Zimbabwean politics in the future.

The way this plan is carried out and the willingness of people in positions of authority to permit genuine democratic involvement without conditions attached will determine whether it serves as a weapon for greater control or political stabilisation.

More: The Zim Bulletin