While Zimbabwe continues to struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing power outages, serious inflation, unemployment and hunger, the political parties claiming to oppose the Mnangagwa government continue in disarray. More trade union organisations are demanding to be paid properly in US dollars.
Nelson Chamisa has been forced to re-name his MDC Alliance as Citizens Coalition for Change, Douglas Mwonzora opted to name his election vehicle MDC Alliance instead of MDC-T, Dr Thokozani Khupe then moved to expel Mwonzora, who in turn applied for Khupe’s MPs to be expelled from parliament because they had allegedly formed another party. To top it off, Mwonzora’s group in the end only fielded candidates for two of the six vacant National Assembly seats. But on the other hand, the expulsion of Tendai Biti’s six People’s Democratic Party MPs from parliament was cancelled by a higher court, and they are in Mwonzora’s group.
And then the Mugabe family’s G40 faction continues to destabilise ZANU-PF, the governing party. President Mnangagwa’s government continues to struggle with its authoritarian culture being a turn-off for the international community. The latest manifestation is its proposed tighter regulation of foreign funding for non-government organisations.
The outcome from March 26 may well be the demise of some of these players for the main event due in 2023.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees’ Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, is Australian lawyer Ms Gillian Triggs, She recently visited Zimbabwe from 19 to 21 January, 2022, and favourably reported on the government’s support for 22,000 refugees.
Zimbabwe Information Centre, Australia
February 11, 2022
