By Moregiven Sithole
The national Socialist dialogue that promotes “national interests” and not an election will solve the crisis in Zimbabwe, a newly launched political party has said.
Addressing journalists at the launch of the Zimbabwe Communist Party (ZCP) in the capital, party leader Ngqbutho Mabhena said the country must do away with capitalism which was introduced by white people when they colonised Zimbabwe in 1890 if it is to prosper.
“We are struggling against our old enemies: dictatorship, capitalism, imperialism and black bourgeois which continue to loot our resources. The development of capitalism in our country from 1890, through cheap labour created the mainly black proletariat as the white and later black bourgeois could not survive without the proletariat,” Mabhena said.
He took a swipe at the ZANU PF party describing its leaders as pseudo Socialists who fought Ian Smith to replace the colonial regime and enrich themselves.
He however lauded the government for developing social services in the first decade of its rule.
“Upon attaining independence in 1980, the new political leadership became the economic managers of those who owned the means of production. Nothing was done to transform the commanding heights of the economy for the benefit of the society as a whole.
“While we recognise the social programmes done in the first decade of our independence, that is building of health and education infrastructure the economy remained in the hands of very few even though our political leadership shouted Socialist slogans,” the South African politician thundered.
He added, “As we approach 2018 elections, we are of the view that the upcoming elections will not resolve the economic, social and political challenges we face as a country. While we support progressive forces who call for the implementation of the 2013 Constitution, we further call for anti-capitalist National Dialogue to resolve the social and economic crisis as this will not be resolved through a contested election next year.”
Mabhena said his party will not field a candidate in the next year’s elections.
Zimbabwe has more than forty political parties, however most of them have been dismissed by analysts as fly-by-night political parties used by the State to divide the votes for it to remain in power.
The formation of the ZCP comes hardly a week after seven opposition parties coalesced under the MDC alliance led by Morgan Tsvangirai in their bid to wrestle power from President Robert Mugabe in the do or die elections to be held next year.
