Senate creates divisions in Zanu PF

By Lance Guma
04 April 2006

The creation of a senate within the country’s parliament has not only caused a split in the main opposition but there is growing evidence suggesting the ruling party Zanu PF is on the verge of a similar fallout for different reasons. Zanu PF senators and Members of Parliament are apparently squabbling with each other over boundaries, duties and legitimacy. The discord between the two sets of legislators culminated in the organising of a party caucus meeting aimed at trying to establish a good working relationship between them. This was after it turned out that most MP’s were boycotting Provincial Co-ordinating Committee meetings.

In a rare public admission Joseph Msika, Mugabe’s second deputy, told the state controlled media that the squabbles were ‘deplorable’. He pleaded with party’s legislators to behave like responsible people and ‘desist from retrogressive behaviour’. Political commentator Musekiwa Makwanya says the latest developments will give impetus to opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s call for ‘democratic resistance’ saying a divided Zanu PF will make the planned action easier to achieve.

‘Zanu PF is clearly worried by Tsvangirai’s tough talk and that’s the reason why they are trying to deal with this matter quickly before it gets out of hand.’ Makwanya says the Zanu PF legislators are competing for political space and the MP’s especially are finding it hard to work with senators who faced no electoral challenge courtesy of the MDC boycott. Most of the senators lost Zanu PF primary elections and the feeling is that Mugabe has used the senate to accommodate these disgruntled lieutenants. In the end those who fought primary elections against each other now have to work together.

In the run up to the senate elections the government hurriedly drew up boundaries for the senators to contest in. This according to Makwanya has created explosive situations were some politically sensitive constituencies fell to people who struggled for acceptance within Zanu PF from the onset. Senators under the current arrangement have larger constituencies than MPs. Observers note this is intimidating the MP’s who are now trying to assert authority over their own areas and in most cases, this involves undermining the senators.