Barely after 2 months after Zimbabwe came out of harmonized elections in which President Mugabe’s ZANU PF party emerged the winner after beating its main rival MDC party, another political party has been launched in the country.
Sunday Mail, Zimbabwe’s state controlled newspaper reports that the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) has transformed itself into a political party with the chairman, Professor Lovemore Madhuku, assuming leadership.
In an interview, Prof Madhuku said the party would, in the interim, retain the name, NCA.
“Congress has decided to transform the NCA into a political party and that we remain with the name, NCA.”
It was resolved that a congress would be held before March 31, 2014 at which the organisation’s new thrust as a political party will be launched and a new leadership elected.
“This effectively means NCA is now a political party and there is no longer a civic organisation called NCA; it is now a political party,” he said.
Prof Madhuku said congress resolved that, “with effect from September 28 the NCA incorporates the methods and strategies of competing for political office in pursuit of its goals and for the removal of doubt, this transforms the NCA into a political party.”
The University of Zimbabwe law lecturer said his organisation has decided to use political methods to get a “democratic Constitution” after it failed to push for a “people-driven Constitution” over the last 16 years.
He said the political outfit recognised that many people sacrificed their lives to free the country from colonial oppression. It also supports the Land Reform Programme.
“We respect those who fought for our country’s independence and ours is a social democratic movement with a pan-Africanist outlook and with utmost respect for the struggle of our people against colonialism and imperialism,” he said.
“I am chairing a taskforce expected to lead the party into convening a congress before 31 March 2014 at which the organisation’s new thrust as a political party will be launched and a new leadership elected.
“. . . It is clear that we support the land reform and most of the policies which are meant to benefit the majority of Zimbabweans.
Last week NCA spokesperson, Blessing Vava said people have lost faith in the two dominant parties in Zimbabwe, ZANU PF and the MDC-T, and are clamouring for a third political force because none of these parties serve their interests anymore.
Mean while, according to Newsday a Zimbabwean privately owned newspaper the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) leadership is targeting former allies of the MDC-T, led by Morgan Tsvangirai to pose a strong challenge and become the biggest opposition to Zanu PF.
NCA spokesperson Blessing Vava confirmed that some current MDC-T officials had expressed interest to join his party, but he declined to release any names.
“We welcome anyone who wants to join us. There are some current MDC-T officials who have indicated that they are fed up with the MDC-T and are likely to cross the floor. They have lost trust in their leadership and they wish to join the NCA because of its consistency and visionary leadership,” Vava said.
The new NCA party said it was Pan-Africanist and upholds social democracy as its ideology.
The structure of the new party is expected to be unveiled in the next few weeks.
On the first of May this year, the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) chairman, Lovemore Madhuku, used Workers Day commemorations in Harare to announce that the NCA would transform itself into a political party.
The NCA was founded in 1997, and officially launched in 1998 at the University of Zimbabwe by civic organisations, together with trade unions, opposition parties, student groups, women’s groups, representatives of the informal sector, and church groups.
Comments
About Author
