Political parties unite to challenge Zim’s governance crisis

Five political groupings rooted in Matabeleland have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Bulawayo, committing to work together as a collective political response to Zimbabwe’s deepening social, economic and governance crisis, with a particular focus on stopping the ruling party’s proposed “2030 agenda”. The Progressive Alliance of Mthwakazi Union (PAMU), Assembly of Minorities (AM), Mthwakazi United Party (MUP), Freedom Alliance and the Mayibuye People’s Party (MPP) formalised the pact on Sunday, declaring that time had come for Matabeleland to “stand up” and confront political exclusion, systemic marginalisation and economic decay. This alliance comes at a time when plans to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s alleged stay in office beyond constitutional limits have intensified, sparking resistance from civil society, opposition groups and sections of the public.

For these Matabeleland groupings, the 2030 agenda is a “nationwide problem” that if left unaddressed, will extend into a longer pattern of political domination that will leave Zimbabweans politically weakened. Responding to questions from CITE at the signing ceremony, Assembly of Minorities leader, Chilumbo Mudenda, said the unity pact was a strategic and philosophical intervention meant to address long-standing grievances of citizens. Mudenda acknowledged the grouping had already attracted hostile commentary, including accusations that the alliance was misguided or illegitimate.

“We have only one enemy in Matabeleland. The biggest enemy is not the one we are dealing with at national level. The enemy we have in Matabeleland is sell-outs.

[paywall]

The enemy is one, but there are many sell-outs,” he said. He said some of the negative rhetoric was coming from within the region itself, where individuals deliberately sought to undermine initiatives aimed at building collective political power. “Our own people deliberately post comments to undermine us.

There is a lot of competition in the political arena and the discourse that is there, we are not spared from it,” Mudenda said. Mudenda argued some political parties in Matabeleland believed they “owned” the narratives and perceptions of the region and were hostile to any new formations attempting to assert leadership. “They believe no one else must take a lead in liberating this region.

It must be only them. That is where the point of argument is,” he said. Despite this, Mudenda said the alliance would not be distracted by internal rivalries or public attacks.

[/paywall]