I am reminded of yet another of ZANU (PF)'s copycat convulsions - harking back to the last days of Rhodesia. The present ruling party's apparent acceptance of its demolition, its loss of its parliamentary majority in the March 29 2008 elections (leaving aside the Presidential non-appearance of results for the present)has an interesting precedent.
There was a time - following the Rhodesian Front's March 3 Agreement with Bishop Abel Muzorewa's ANC party - prior to the introduction of a `transitional' government when parliament was dominated by the ANC while the Rhodesian Front's Ian Smith, the ZANU (Ndonga)'s Ndabaningi Sithole and ZUPO's Chief Chirau appeared to share the Prime Ministerial position. It looked good for a handover of power from whites to blacks in Zimbabwe Rhodesia. Everyone could talk their heads off in Parliament, but where was the real power? One cabinet member in Muzorewa's line-up was the estimable, the late Byron Hove was on to this deception. He made a huge fuss, blowing the whistle on the powerlessness of the transitional government with its newly `Africanised' parliament. What kind of power do you have, he asked, when the police, the army, the civil service and the judiciary are all dominated entirely by whites still loyal to Ian Smith? The liberation struggle went on with its consequence of the Lancaster House agreement and as we all know (to the country's cost) ZANU (PF) took over.
My point here is that it seems that ZANU (PF) has no fear of an MDC majority in parliament so long as the abovementioned state institutions remain loyal to Robert Mugabe.
We await the final outcome of the current political shenanigans with bated breath.
Copyright © 2004 Diana Mitchell
