The Hard Road to Reform: The Politics of Zimbabwe's Global Political Agreement by Raftopolos Brian

Author:Raftopolos, Brian
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: POL025000, POL032000
ISBN: 9781779222268
Publisher: Weaver Press
Published: 2013-04-29T00:00:00+00:00

Teachers strike for more pay.

The church has responded to Zimbabwe's economic and governance crisis in a subtle manner, but has found itself marginalised and unable to provide leadership among civil society in response to the GPA, with the occasional exception of a few individuals and organisations who have denounced ZANU-PF authoritarianism. A number of churches have taken partisan positions, with senior clerics or their associates directly or indirectly supporting one side over the other. The Anglican church has been torn apart by a feud in which the excommunicated Bishop Nolbert Kunonga, who has openly supported ZANU-PF, continues to assert that he is the leader of the Anglican Church in Zimbabwe, and has co-opted all Anglican church property – schools, hospitals, orphanages and churches. The official Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa is currently suing him for restitution of their properties.33

Perceptions of partisan positions among church leaders have eroded the church's ability to lead in a situation framed around compromise, namely the GPA. Ironically, one result is that churches now find themselves marginalised in their efforts to promote healing and reconciliation – goals purportedly integral to the GPA, which the churches might have been expected to fulfil.34 Instead, their role is limited to offering opening and closing prayers at important events, while political figures deal with the real affairs of state.35 That said, one area in which the churches have remained active is in their continuing call for fresh elections, including identifying the electoral and institutional reforms needed for these to take place, and the benchmarks for demonstrable government commitment to adhering to the rule of law, i.e. behaviour required of all state agents if they are to serve in a professional, non-partisan manner.

Women and the GPA

An equally important sector is the female voice: as expressed by the Women's Coalition, (a network of women's rights activists with chapters in Bulawayo, Masvingo, Beitbridge, Gweru, Gwanda, Bindura, Marondera and Mutare) and WOZA during the term of the IG. Although some have expressed their frustration that their participation is no more than ‘tokenism and deception’,36 Zimbabwean women have continued to strive for a democratic political environment together with other CSOs. Women's groups have been involved in the demands for a free and fair electoral environment and have been working with other networks, local, regional and international who share similar objectives. However, the harsh economic climate has made it difficult for most women to participate in and mobilise around political developments, overburdened as they are by bread and butter issues. Furthermore, the first-past-the-post electoral system currently in use has not made it easy for women to enter the political arena; nor have political parties made concerted efforts to promote the participation of women in politics, or facilitated their access to leadership positions. Political parties are not compelled by the Electoral Act to ensure gender equality or representation.

However, civic organisations such as the Women's Coalition of Zimbabwe and the Women and Politics Support Unit, have tried to ensure that women's rights are recognised in the democratisation agenda, and in the constitutional reform process.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.