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Political solution to Zimbabwe's crisis inadequate
Zimbabwe Liberators' Platform (ZLP)
May 2003

An African troika comprising leaders of Nigeria, South Africa and Malawi is making diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving Zimbabwe’s political crisis. Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and Bakili Muluzi of Malawi met with leaders of both ZANU PF and MDC in Harare recently and persuaded them to discuss the crisis.

Unfortunately, the African troika erroneously assumes that the crisis facing Zimbabwe is political, hence their efforts to find a purely political solution. Zimbabwe Liberators Platform, a non-governmental organisation (which is an integral part of civil society) strongly believes that Zimbabwe faces a political, economic, social and humanitarian crisis. To put the crisis in its proper perspective, ZLP here below analyses all the aspects of the crisis.

• The Political crisis stems from the rigged 2002 presidential election. By stealing victory, ZANU PF leader Mr. Robert Mugabe became the illegitimate head of state. For the opposition MDC, the solution is holding fresh presidential elections which it hopes to win. MDC victory will, according to the opposition party, give it the Constitutional right to govern.
• The ZANU PF regime has been abusing its political muscle to enact repressive and draconian legislation such as POSA, AIPPA and PVO, which were intended to keep them in power.
• The Economic crisis is characterised by:
  1. Acute shortage of foreign currency with all its obvious repercussions
  2. Critical shortage of fuel, which permeates the entire economy.
  3. Shortage of basic commodities such as food, drugs, sanitary ware, etc.
  4. Galloping inflation hovering around 270 percent.
  5. Limited supplies of electricity leading to constant power cuts which cripple agriculture, industry and commerce.
  6. Shortage of water treatment chemicals.
  7. Runaway budget deficit.
  8. Very high interest rates which are ironically far below the inflation rate.
  9. Official exchange rate competing with the parallel market rate which fuels inflation.
  10. Acute shortage of cash in banks and in circulation, crippling economic activity.
• The Social crisis includes:
  1. Unprecedented unemployment rate of around 70 percent.
  2. Collapse of the health delivery system caused by shortage of drugs, obsolescence of equipment and flight of health personnel.
  3. Instability of the education system resulting from humiliation and intimidation of teachers, strikes, shortage of food at boarding schools and tertiary institutions etc.
  4. Virtual collapse of the commuter transport system, unaffordability of the bus fares, shortage of fuel and spares.
  5. The culture of impunity and lawlessness.
• The Humanitarian crisis manifests itself in mass starvation and internal refugees from both urban and rural areas who run away from intimidation, torture, rape, retribution etc. Mass starvation was caused by the violent and chaotic land grabbing programme and the deliberate denial of food to perceived opposition supporters.

From the above analysis, it is abundantly clear that the nature and extent of the whole crisis require a holistic approach and solution. Politicians would naturally look first and foremost for a political solution of the crisis, and either postpone the other aspects of the crisis or solve them piecemeal. That is inadequate and unacceptable.

ZLP believes that politicians together with civil society can and will find a permanent and holistic solution to the whole crisis. To achieve that noble objective, civil society and politicians should agree on a dialogue agenda:

• A transitional arrangement whose composition would include civil society :
  1. All repressive legislation should be repealed.
  2. Political violence and intimidation should stop.
  3. The political playing field should be levelled. This should include giving all political parties’ equal access to the public media.
  4. An electoral framework should be created, including an independent electoral commission.
  5. The economic and humanitarian crisis should be addressed as a matter of urgency.
  6. A new and democratic constitution should be drafted and adopted.

The holding of UN supervised elections which should not only be declared free and fair but also seen to be free and fair. Elections should usher in a new and democratic government guided by the values of accountability, transparency, respect for human rights and freedoms, political tolerance, rule of law, national unity, justice, truth and peace.

Visit the ZLP fact sheet

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