POLAD (Political Actors Dialogue)
Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) is a dialogue platform created by President Emmerson Mnangagwa following calls for the need for dialogue with the opposition to find solutions for the country's problems. The platform was launched on 17 May 2019 by Emmerson Mnangagwa.[1]
17 leaders of political parties that contested in the July 2018 elections joined the dialogue but the main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change refused to join referring to POLAD as not a true dialogue platform. The MDC argued that a sincere move would be a dialogue between Emmerson Mnangagwa and MDC President Nelson Chamisa such as the dialogue that had taken place between the MDC-T, Zanu PF and MDC culminating in the Government of National Unity (GNU) in 2009.
The MDC also insisted that Emmerson Mnangagwa had not won the July 2018 elections and had no mandate therefore to call for a lead a dialogue process.
In response Zanu PF insisted that the doors of POLAD were open and that the MDC needed to join as had done other political leaders.
Political Leaders in POLAD
- Lovemore Madhuku - National Constitutional Assembly
- Thokozani Khupe - MDC-T
- Elton Mangoma - Coalition of Democrats
Criticism
POLAD mostly consisted of political parties that had no representation in parliament. Of the 17 political leaders in POLAD, only MDC-Khupe had a single seat in parliament.
- The Zimbabwe Council of Churches argued that true dialogue had to be inclusive and that was not supposed to be at political level only.
Opposition leaders in POLAD were accused of joining the platform for their own monetary benefits.
Constitutional Changes
In January 2019, POLAD members complained that their proposals regarding constitutional changes by Zanu-PF had been ignored after government went ahead and gazetted a controversial Constitutional Amendment Bill without their input.
Madhuku and Gutu said that they were unhappy of being left out. Said Madhuku: “It was agreed that a Bill would then be brought to Parliament with amendments also from other political parties and instead of focusing on the Zanu PF needs, we will have an omnibus Bill, but that was not followed. But they went ahead and gazetted the Bill.”[2]
In response prominent political commentator and journalist, Hopewell Chin'ono expressed shock at Madhuku's complaints:
Good morning @ProfMadhuku. I am shocked that you of all people is surprised that Mnangagwa is not taking POLAD’s contributions on board. POLAD is a mere accessory to ED’s dictatorship. You are smart enough to know that. POLAD is political opportunism Prof! [3]
Outcome
No solid outcome from the process has been publicised to date.
July 2018 Presidential Elections results
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emmerson Mnangagwa | ZANU–PF | 2,456,010 | 50.67 | |
| Nelson Chamisa | Movement for Democratic Change Alliance | 2,151,927 | 44.39 | |
| Thokozani Khupe | MDC–Tsvangirai (Khupe) | 45,626 | 0.94 | |
| Joseph Makamba Busha | FreeZim Congress | 17,540 | 0.36 | |
| Nkosana Moyo | Alliance for People's Agenda | 15,172 | 0.31 | |
| Evaristo Chikanga | Rebuilding Zimbabwe Party | 13,132 | 0.27 | |
| Joice Mujuru | People's Rainbow Coalition | 12,823 | 0.26 | |
| Hlabangana Kwanele | Republican Party | 9,460 | 0.20 | |
| Blessing Kasiyamhuru | Zimbabwe Partnership for Prosperity | 7,016 | 0.14 | |
| William Mugadza | Bethel Christian Party | 5,898 | 0.12 | |
| Peter Wilson | Democratic Opposition Party | 4,895 | 0.10 | |
| Peter Munyanduri | New Patriotic Front | 4,498 | 0.09 | |
| Divine Mhambi | National Alliance of Patriotic and Democratic Republicans | 4,405 | 0.09 | |
| Ambrose Mutinhiri | National Patriotic Front | 4,107 | 0.08 | |
| Daniel Shumba | United Democratic Alliance | 3,905 | 0.08 | |
| Peter Gava | United Democratic Front | 2,858 | 0.06 | |
| Brian Mteki | Independent | 2,732 | 0.06 | |
| Lovemore Madhuku | National Constitutional Assembly | 2,692 | 0.06 | |
| Noah Ngoni Manyika | Build Zimbabwe Alliance | 2,681 | 0.06 | |
| Elton Mangoma | Coalition of Democrats | 2,431 | 0.05 | |
| Melbah Dzapasi | #1980 Freedom Movement Zimbabwe | 1,890 | 0.04 | |
| Violet Mariyacha | United Democracy Movement | 1,673 | 0.04 | |
| Timothy Chiguvare | People's Progressive Party | 1,546 | 0.03 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | 72,316 | – | ||
| Total | 4,847,233 | 100 | ||
| Registered voters/turnout | ||||
| Source: The Commonwealth | ||||
Results by province
- Only candidates with more than 10,000 votes are listed.[4]
| Province | Mnangagwa | Chamisa | Khupe | Busha | Moyo | Chikanga | Mujuru | Valid votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manicaland | 292,938 | 296,429 | 4,793 | 2,759 | 2,508 | 1,834 | 1,281 | 611,414 |
| Mashonaland Central | 359,576 | 96,063 | 1,541 | 1,452 | 879 | 858 | 2,547 | 467,740 |
| Mashonaland West | 314,541 | 220,111 | 3,060 | 2,248 | 1,506 | 1,456 | 1,158 | 551,453 |
| Mashonaland East | 334,617 | 189,021 | 2,298 | 1,681 | 1,166 | 950 | 972 | 535,458 |
| Masvingo | 318,964 | 171,438 | 3,012 | 2,510 | 1,707 | 2,367 | 979 | 509,523 |
| Matabeleland South | 107,008 | 90,292 | 4,700 | 1,216 | 1,060 | 1,335 | 808 | 212,517 |
| Matabeleland North | 111,452 | 137,611 | 12,776 | 1,401 | 1,419 | 1,342 | 1,170 | 274,163 |
| Midlands | 352,027 | 257,960 | 4,672 | 2,768 | 2,000 | 1,795 | 1,169 | 631,261 |
| Bulawayo | 60,168 | 144,107 | 5,753 | 497 | 1,350 | 364 | 1,050 | 215,405 |
| Harare | 204,719 | 548,895 | 3,021 | 1,008 | 1,577 | 831 | 1,689 | 765,983 |
| Total | 2,456,010 | 2,151,927 | 45,626 | 17,540 | 15,172 | 13,132 | 12,823 | 4,774,917 |
References
- ↑ Joseph Madzimure and Farirai Machivenyika, JUST IN: President launches POLAD, The Herald, Published: 17 May 2019, Retrieved: 25 Sep 2019
- ↑ ED outfoxes Polad allies, NewsDay, Published: 8 Jan 2020, Accessed: 14 Jan 2020
- ↑ Dear Madhuku, Twitter, Published: 13 Jan 2020, Accessed: 14 Jan 2020
- ↑ Zimbabwe Electoral Commission
